New England Patriots running back Dion Lewis suffers ACL tear

A few weeks ago, I mentioned that former Pitt running back Dion Lewis was having a nice season with the New England Patriots. Unfortunately for him, that season is now over as he suffered an ACL tear this past weekend. Lewis sustained the injury in the third quarter of the team's win against the Washington Redskins.

Lewis wasn't having a monster season for the team but he was certainly a contributor. One area where he excelled was catching balls out of the backfield. He was averaging 10.8 yards per catch, which ranked third in the entire NFL among running backs. Lewis was a legit threat with 234 rushing yards and 388 receiving yards this year. He also had a total of four touchdowns (two rushing, two receiving) and picked up a total of 31 first downs.

This is a terrible break for Lewis who, after four years was finally starting to become a real player in the league. In his first two seasons, Lewis didn't get much opportunity with the Philadelphia Eagles. He didn't play in 2013 or 2014 before finally getting a chance with the Patriots this season.

It's also unfortunate that he was going to have a chance to be a contributor in the playoffs for a team that looks as if it could win the Super Bowl. Lewis will still get a ring if the Patriots are able to win a title, but it would have been nice if he could have been on the field to help in the postseason.

The good news is that he showed what he can do and should have a job when he is ready to get back on the field if he can prove he's healthy.

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