FOXBORO — Midway by the fourth quarter Saturday, Kendrick Bourne had accounted for greater than half of the Patriots’ whole offense.
He had scored their solely offensive landing. He’d pulled in a spectacular seize to arrange one other, toe-tapping alongside the fitting sideline for a 28-yard achieve. Earlier, he ripped off the Patriots’ longest run, a 29-yarder within the first half.
So why didn’t Bourne see extra enjoying time earlier than Saturday’s 22-18 loss to the Bengals?
Pats coach Bill Belichick wouldn’t say.
“No particular reason,” Belichick stated.
On Saturday, Bourne’s bump in enjoying time was possible tied to an harm (DeVante Parker’s concussion) and an absence of manufacturing from one other veteran, Nelson Agholor. The latter caught one cross on six targets the sport earlier than at Las Vegas and didn’t register within the stat sheet Sunday. Without them, Bourne, rookie Tyquan Thornton and Jakobi Meyers took nearly the entire Patriots’ large receiver snaps.
On the season, Bourne’s enjoying time has been diminished from 52% of the crew’s offensive snaps final season to 40% this yr getting into Saturday. His manufacturing can be means down, a operate of lesser alternative and inconsistent play. While he’s dropped passes in two of the Patriots’ final 4 video games, he’s additionally confirmed to be their solely run-after-catch menace.
After Saturday’s loss, Bourne stated he is aware of his teammates and coaches nonetheless consider in him regardless of the extra restricted alternatives. He rewarded that religion together with his first profession 100-yard sport.
“Just in practice, man, I’m still involved, things like that. Going in, getting my opportunities, it’s just about making them when I get them. It’s not the easiest situation, but I make the most of it when I get ’em,” Bourne informed reporters.
On the season, Bourne is now as much as 30 catches for 373 yards and a landing. Last yr, he set profession highs in catches (55), receiving yards (800) and receiving touchdowns (5).
Source: www.bostonherald.com
