New England Patriots - NESN.com
The New England Patriots may have unlocked the one missing element of their offense on Sunday.
After a quiet start to the 2025 season, two rookies delivered huge plays in New England’s 28-23 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Kyle Williams went 72 yards for his first career touchdown, and TreVeyon Henderson delivered a 55-yard touchdown run in the third quarter and a 69-yard touchdown to seal the road victory.
The Day 2 draft picks made history with those explosive scores. ESPN’s Field Yates noted that Henderson and Williams were the first rookie teammates to score touchdowns of 50-plus yards in the same game since 2001.
With Rhamondre Stevenson and Kayshon Boutte sidelined, Henderson and Williams each received an opportunity to make their mark. The neophytes delivered in grand fashion.
Williams put New England on the board by securing a Drake Maye throw and running more than 50 yards after the catch for a score that ended the opening quarter. The third-round pick entered the game with 20 yards all season, going his last six contests without a catch.
While Williams only touched the ball that one time, Henderson led the backfield with 14 carries. The second-round selection set a career high with 147 rushing yards.
The rookies both showcased their blazing speed on Sunday. NFL’s Next Gen Stats noted that Henderson had the fastest max speed of any rookie and fifth-fastest of any ball-carrier when reaching 22.01 mph on his 55-yard score. Williams has briefly held the top rookie speed when running as fast as 21.78 mph on his touchdown.
New England’s offense has clicked all season behind MVP favorite Drake Maye, but the unit could unlock another level if Henderson and Williams remain reliable big-play threats. They could get more reps if Stevenson and Boutte aren’t ready for Thursday’s game against the New York Jets.
