"Tired?"

That was the first question Rhamondre Stevenson was asked when he walked up to the podium after the New England Patriots' impressive win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. 

However, it was his answer that really made the win so much sweeter.

"Not really. I got another quarter in me,” Stevenson said with a smile. 

You got to love his mindset. 

The Patriots running back was by far the best offensive player in the 16-10 win, finishing the game with 25 carries for 120 yards. He also scored the team's only touchdown. 

Throughout the spring and summer, head coach Jerod Mayo has been clear that New England was going to rely heavily on the run game this season. And that meant a lot of work for Stevenson. 

“I challenged Rhamondre in the spring,” Mayo said after the win. “I said, ‘Look, you don’t get a lot of love, a lot of hype,’ but I’ve always believed that he’s one of the best running backs in the league, and when we signed him to the extension, there was no one more happy than me, because I know what he’s capable of. 

"He showed that today. He can catch the ball out of the backfield, he can run, break tackles and do all of those things. He’s a great player.”

A to Z Sports spoke exclusively with Stevenson prior to the game and he mentioned the 'challenge" that Mayo gave to the running back. 

"He gave us a challenge and we got to live up to that challenge," Stevenson said on Friday. "Run hard and just stay on our tracks. And try to make positive plays in the run game."

Stevenson knew that there was a lot of pressure on him to perform this season. But instead of being afraid, he was excited.

"It makes me want to go out there and play harder," he explained. "It's just a challenge for us and we love challenges." 

And he sent a message to Patriots fans.

"Stay tuned. That's it."