FOXBOROUGH – TreVeyon Henderson paused for a moment after being asked what the biggest surprise was while making his NFL debut.
At first, the Patriots rookie said nothing was surprising, but then a smile came across his face.
“It’s definitely more physical than college. That surprised me,” Henderson said. “It’s definitely more physical than college, like I took some shots out there.”
At 5-foot-10, 202 pounds, Henderson flies on the field, showcasing an elite burst of speed. On Sunday, in the Patriots’ Week 1 loss, the Las Vegas Raiders took it upon themselves to try to slow the rookie down by brute force.
In his NFL debut, Henderson ran for 27 yards on five carries, averaging 5.4 yards per carry. He also tied for the team high with six catches, on six targets, for 24 yards.
The second-round pick took some big hits, but noted it was nothing that would hold him back.
“I’m feeling pretty good,” Henderson said. “The biggest thing is recovering and getting ready for this upcoming week.”
Henderson said he was grateful to make his NFL debut. The running back is an exciting prospect who, this summer, looked like he could make a major impact for the Patriots’ offense.
After Sunday’s game, Henderson admitted there’s a big learning curve when it comes to learning offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels’ offense.
“For me personally, being a rookie, it’s definitely a big adjustment for me,” Henderson said. “Going to college, you’ve got the college playbook. Now, you’ve got the coach McDaniels playbook. He’s definitely done a good job helping us learn and helping us catch on just as rookies and helping us get adjusted to his playbook.”
After an exciting preseason, Henderson came off the bench and rotated with Rhamondre Stevenson on Sunday. Overall, the Patriots weren’t as efficient on the ground, running just 18 times for 60 yards (3.3 yards per carry).
After the team fell behind due to a series of offensive struggles, the run game became less of a factor. Henderson hopes to be part of the solution going forward.
“We definitely may not have run the ball as well as we wanted to. It’s something we have to continue to work on,” Henderson said. “It’s the first game. It’s definitely going to be a lot of mistakes out there, a lot of things we could’ve done better. The biggest thing is being consistent with the preparation each week and just not going downhill. Trying to get better as a team and as individuals.”
