The Patriots were defeated by the Dolphins 22-12 on Sunday, ending their chances at making the postseason.
While New England struggled to string together positive plays on offense, running back Sony Michel was certainly a bright spot in the loss. Michel ran the ball 10 times for 74 yards in this matchup and could’ve had more if the Patriots didn’t go away from the running game once they were down. His vision was impressive, as he was able to quickly find the hole and hit it with ferocity.
This season hasn’t been the kindest to Michel, as the former first-round pick missed eight weeks due to injury in the middle part of the season. During that time, 2019 third-round pick Damien Harris really impressed critics.
Harris ran for 514 yards in the seven games that Michel was out. He showed the ability to make the correct reads and had a burst that Michel hadn’t shown in a while. Harris was also able to make guys miss or break tackles when the opportunities presented themselves.
Michel’s performance in this game was his second-best of the season behind the 117-yard game he had against the Raiders in Week 3.
This was great to see from Michel, as many have considered him a bust in his third season. New England will have to make a decision this offseason on whether or not to pick up Michel’s fifth-year option in 2022. It seems unlikely that the Patriots will do so, but if Michel continues to perform as he did in this game, it will be a lot tougher decision than we may believe.
Harris could return to action next week, and Michel could find himself back on the bench against the Bills. However, it would behoove New England to give both of them some touches to see what they can do, as the rest of this season should be about learning.
The Link LonkDecember 21, 2020 at 07:37AM
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Sony Michel proved he still has gas in Patriots' Week 15 loss - Patriots Wire
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