FOXBOROUGH — Of the 106 yards Sony Michel recorded on the ground in Sunday’s win over the Chiefs, Bill Belichick chose to dissect the final two.
Michel’s last carry didn't result in a touchdown. But in the end, it was just what New England needed, breaking through a third-and-1 and handing his team a new set of downs during the game-winning drive of the night.
Michel has lived up the billing as a first-round pick, ranking eighth among all NFL players this season with 400 rushing yards through six games.
In his last three games alone, the Georgia product has racked up 328 yards from scrimmage — along with four jaunts into the end zone.
And yet, it was Michel’s ability to convert on a short-yardage situation — evidenced earlier in the game with a 1-yard score up the gut — that had Belichick impressed with what the 23-year-old back can bring to the offense.
“Sony runs hard,” Belichick said. “He’s picked up a lot of tough yards for us, so that was a big run. … There were a lot of good runs in the game, but sometimes your game comes down to a yard, being able to get it or defend it. There was enough space in there, and Sony made a good run to pick it up."
Since overcoming a knee injury that sidetracked his preseason and held him out of Week 1 against the Texans, Michel’s production — especially for a rookie — has him in some impressive company.
Michel is just the fifth Patriots rookie running back to record three or more 90-yard games on the ground in a season, joining Robert Edwards (six times, 1998), Curtis Martin (nine times, 1995),
John Stephens
(five times, 1988) and
Tony Collins
(three times, 1981) — and leads all New England rookies for the most rushing yards in their first five games with 400.
Still, Michel chose to focus on the Patriots’ offensive schemes and the line in front of him as the biggest keys to his early success.
“Everything was the O-line,” Michel said. “There were holes. It’s probably a little hard for your perspective, but there were holes down there. Yes, we made some plays, but I think we left yards out there. There were some that I thought could be even bigger plays. But I mean, it’s football.”
On a Patriots’ offense that doesn’t look like it’s slowing down soon, Michel seems to be on his way to being the first New England rookie to notch 1,000 yards on the ground since Edwards accomplished the feat 20 years ago.
But did Michel expect this level of play so early in his NFL career?
“I just expected, when I got drafted to the Patriots, to win football games,” Michel said. “It’s not really about me. It’s about the team, it’s about what can I do to try and help this team. If it’s 100 yards, it’s 100 yards.
"If it’s two yards, it’s two yards.”
