10 Total Touchdowns

At its most basic level, football is a game that hinges on outscoring the other team. With Brady heading to Tampa Bay, New England’s passing game won’t put up anywhere near the number of points they have in the past. That means the scoring burden falls to Michel and the running game.

Michel did not reach the end zone much during his first two seasons with the Patriots. He scored six times as a rookie and elevated that number to seven in 2019. For reference, Christian McCaffrey led the NFL with 19 receiving and rushing touchdowns last year.

While the Patriots ran in 17 touchdowns last year, Brady tossed 24. Phillip Dorsett, Julian Edelman, and James White accounted for 16 receiving touchdowns alone. Michel did lead New England’s skill players with seven total touchdowns, but he’ll need more scores in Brady’s absence.

In an era where running backs can turn into wide receivers or tight ends on any given play, Michel must generate more big plays and touchdowns for the Patriots. Michel is a talented running back, but he could suffer a severe letdown on New England’s depleted offense if his game doesn’t improve.