The New England Patriots will be without running back Rhamondre Stevenson and wide receiver Kayshon Boutte for Sunday’s game at Tampa Bay, head coach Mike Vrabel announced Friday.
Stevenson will miss his second straight game with a toe injury. He’s rushed for 279 yards and a team-high three touchdowns in his fifth season with the Patriots. Rookie TreVeyon Henderson made his first career start last week vs. Atlanta and surpassed Stevenson for the team lead in rushing yards with 55 to reach 283 on the year.
Boutte, a sixth-round pick by New England in the 2023 NFL Draft, leads the team in receiving touchdowns (five) and is second in receiving yards (431). He sustained a hamstring injury in the 24-23 win over the Falcons, catching no passes on one target before exiting.
The Patriots are going for their seventh straight win, entering the week tied for the league’s best record at 7-2 before the Denver Broncos improved to 8-2 Thursday night. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-2) are tied for the NFC’s best record with Philadelphia, Seattle and the Los Angeles Rams entering this game.
