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5 players who Patriots need to be great in 2020

By Rucker Haringey

FOXBOROUGH, MA - SEPTEMBER 22: Jarrett Stidham #4 of the New England Patriots prepares to throw during the fourth quarter of a game against the New York Jets at Gillette Stadium on September 22, 2019 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Getty Images)
FOXBOROUGH, MA - SEPTEMBER 22: Jarrett Stidham #4 of the New England Patriots prepares to throw during the fourth quarter of a game against the New York Jets at Gillette Stadium on September 22, 2019 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Getty Images) /
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Sony Michel, New England Patriots
FOXBOROUGH, MA – DECEMBER 29: Sony Michel #26 of the New England Patriots carries the ball during the third quarter of a game against the Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium on December 29, 2019 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Getty Images) /

2. Sony Michel

Michel soaked up 247 carries for the Patriots offense last season but he only managed to average 3.7 yards per attempt. That made giving him the ball an inefficient play for New England in 2019.

That’s not a luxury this offense will be able to afford in 2020. The Patriots desperately need their rushing attack to prop up Stidham’s inexperience at the quarterback position. That means Michel needs to become a much more productive rusher.

He has the talent to grind out a lot of yards behind his team’s talented offensive line. The key for Michel will be to learn that he doesn’t need to produce a big play every time he touches the football. Sometimes a five yard carry is a positive outcome for the offense. Michel must learn this lesson if he wants to maintain his status as Belichick’s No. 1 running back.

It’s hard to envision a scenario where the Patriots offense does enough to keep this team in playoff contention without one of the most productive rushing attacks in the league. Michel has to a Pro Bowl caliber back to make that happen.

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