In Thursday night’s 30-24 loss to the Chicago Bears, the New England Patriots saw a continued reduction in running back TreVeyon Henderson’s role, as he played just 13 offensive snaps and recorded three carries for nine yards. Henderson’s last carry came midway through the third quarter, marking the second consecutive week he did not participate in the fourth quarter of a closely contested game.

Henderson’s involvement in the offense has steadily declined since peaking in Week 2 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he was on the field for 60 percent of offensive snaps following a fumble by Rhamondre Stevenson. He saw 37 percent of snaps for two consecutive games before his playing time dropped further. An ankle injury in Week 5 limited him to 12 snaps, though he returned to play 16 snaps in Week 6. Prior to Thursday’s game, Henderson was a full participant in practice and carried no injury designation.

Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel offered limited insight when asked about the decreased workload for Henderson, citing multiple factors including game flow and personnel decisions. Vrabel noted the team was testing others in the backfield and expressed confidence that Henderson would continue to contribute down the stretch.

Henderson entered the season with high expectations after demonstrating big-play ability as a rookie, including four rushing touchdowns of over 50 yards last year. However, in 2023, the running back has failed to show similar explosiveness, with his only notable run being a 39-yard touchdown in Week 2. His performance metrics also reflect challenges, including an average of just 1.6 yards after contact and no broken tackles.

Rhamondre Stevenson remained the featured back, rushing six times for 22 yards and catching five passes for a career-high 93 yards. Stevenson’s eight receptions over the last two games confirm his integral role in the Patriots’ offense, which has struggled overall, as New England collectively managed limited production on the ground. Quarterback Drake Maye led the team in rushing with four scrambles for 26 yards and one touchdown.

At wide receiver, A.J. Brown played 49 snaps but had a subdued night, catching three of six targets and failing to complete a couple of critical deep opportunities. Other receivers, including DeMario Douglas and Efton Chism, saw moderate use, while Kyle Williams failed to record a reception. The Patriots were further hampered by injuries in the receiving corps, with Mack Hollins sidelined and Romeo Doubs expected to miss additional games.

Tight ends Hunter Henry and rookie Eli Raridon contributed significantly, combining for 10 catches and two touchdowns, with Henry hauling in all seven of his targets for 71 yards and Raridon catching three passes for 56 yards.

Defensively, cornerback Christian Gonzalez played all 69 snaps despite entering the game with illness. With Carlton Davis still sidelined due to a neck injury, the Patriots relied on Marcus Jones and Charles Woods in the secondary. Jones, who played 67 snaps, was noted for missed tackles and was identified as a liability in the defense’s overall struggles tackling opponents.

The Patriots’ offense operated for a season-low 54 snaps, about 14 fewer than their average this year, and was forced into three three-and-out drives. The Bears controlled time of possession—holding the ball for more than 12 minutes in the fourth quarter—and ultimately controlled the flow of the game en route to the win.