Nebraska Football: Rex Burkhead shines for New England in big win
Burkhead certainly made Nebraska Football proud.
A Nebraska Football alum made a major impact for his professional team on Saturday afternoon. Rex Burkhead helped lead with the New England Patriots to a win, and in turn clinch their 11th consecutive AFC East title.
At first glance, his statistics aren’t exactly going to scream out of the box score. He carried the ball five times for 20 yards and a touchdown. However, he responded nicely after a first-drive mishap. On the first play the game, Burkhead caught a screen pass and began running with it. Micah Hyde of the Buffalo Bills managed to track down Burkhead and strip him of the football. The fumble led to the Buffalo Bills taking an early 3-0 lead and it would have been easy for the former Nebraska Football star to hang his head. Instead, he kept playing with heart and determination.
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In addition to what he did in the running game, he also made a major impact in the receiving game. He caught four passes for 77 yards. Averaging 19.3 yards per reception, a 31-yard grab was his longest of the afternoon.
When healthy, he is an impactful running back. However, between injuries and the fact that the New England Patriots have a ton of running backs at their disposal, he hasn’t gotten a ton of playing time. Sony Michel and James White have been the main running backs for New England, and even Brandon Bolden has gotten some work in. Sitting at third on the depth chart overall, Rex has made the most out of his opportunities.
Hopefully, New England continues to use him as they make their playoff push. He is a little bit faster than some of the running backs New England has, and he can bring both strength and elusiveness to the position. He is also an extremely good receiving back, an asset Sony Michel does not have. It’s good to see him succeeding at the professional level, and it’s always great when a Nebraska Football alumnus wins a game, and is a big part of it. Congratulations Rex, here’s to more success in the coming weeks.