There’s good cause why Patriots operating again Ezekiel Elliott was capable of keep on the sector for over 90% of snaps and achieve 140 complete yards of offense 13 video games into his eighth NFL season.
“This probably is the best I’ve felt this late in a season,” Elliott advised reporters after Thursday evening’s 21-18 win over the Steelers.
The Patriots wanted him to play a significant position Thursday with beginning operating again Rhamondre Stevenson nursing a high-ankle sprain that’s anticipated to maintain him out weeks.
Elliott scored the Patriots’ first landing of the evening on an 11-yard landing catch from quarterback Bailey Zappe. He carried the ball 21 instances for 68 yards and caught seven passes on eight targets for 72 yards with the landing within the win.
Kevin Harris — elevated from the observe squad Thursday — by no means spelled Elliott. Ty Montgomery was on the sector for simply six snaps.
Elliott additionally made a key play to sort out Mykal Walker after the Steelers linebacker picked off Zappe. The Steelers wound up turning the ball over on downs on their ensuing drive.
“I thought Zeke ran hard. Zeke made a big play on the interception to keep them out of the end zone, wound up getting a defensive stop on that. That was a huge play,” head coach Bill Belichick stated after the sport.
“He comes to work every day. We needed him to step up and carry the mail today, and he did. So, he carried the ball and took a lot of plays, a lot of snaps, short week. He got banged up last week, but that was a pro performance today.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com