Tag: Kendrick Bourne

WATCH: Mac Jones hits Kendrick Bourne for crucial touchdown vs. Bills

Here’s one of many highlighted connections between Mac Jones and Kendrick Bourne on Sunday

The New England Patriots gave the Buffalo Bills defense fits all afternoon. Quarterback Mac Jones and wide receiver Kendrick Bourne were able to find a connection to extend the Patriots’ lead to 22-10.

Buffalo did manage to mount a comeback, but the Patriots held on for the 29-25 victory on Sunday. The touchdown was part of a drive that saw New England go for 66 yards. The drive itself took 6:07 off the clock.

For Bourne, it was part of another strong day. He had six catches for 63 yards in the game, including a 33-yard reception that was his longest of the afternoon.

The touchdown was his third of the season.

The receiving corps continues to struggle, but the connection between Jones and Bourne remains a bright spot. We’ll see if they continue to build on it in Week 8 against the Miami Dolphins.

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6 Patriots players should be considered likely trade candidates

What Patriots players will likely be on the trade block?

How big of sellers will the New England Patriots be by the October 31 trade deadline?

That’s the big question with the 2023 season likely dead in the water for the team. They have a 1-5 record with their next two games against the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins.

By the time Week 9 rolls around, the Patriots will probably already be checkmated into submission.

Help isn’t coming to save New England. So their best hope now is trading players for draft assets. It’s important to note that every player is expendable for the right price, including quarterback Mac Jones. It makes more sense for the Patriots to keep him on the roster, however, unless they get a good enough offer.

Let’s take a look at six Patriots players that are likely trade candidates for the team.

Patriots WR Kendrick Bourne comments on potential trade buzz

Kendrick Bourne knows he could be on the trade block

New England Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne is prepared for anything ahead of the NFL trade deadline.

He came to New England as a free agent in 2021 and quickly developed a rapport with quarterback Mac Jones. Now, he is a valuable piece for a team that may be on the verge of a rebuild.

The wide receiver currently leads all Patriots receivers with 20 catches for 307 yards and two touchdowns on the season. He is coming off his best game of the year on Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders. He recorded 10 catches for 89 yards.

Bourne is prepared for anything, even with his increased production, as reported by WEEI’s Mike Kadlick.

“Definitely will be in my mind,” Bourne said. “[I’ll] just be ready for whatever. I want to be here. I love to be here but if there are other plans, then it is what it is.”

Training away Bourne would certainly be a shakeup for the Patriots offense. It makes sense to trade him while his value is still high. However, he has been one of the more consistent weapons in the New England passing game over the years.

A trade would be a high-stakes move for the Patriots.

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Patriots’ top 10 offensive players in Week 6, per PFF grades

Here are the Patriots’ top offensive performers in Week 6, per PFF grades.

The New England Patriots showed more offensive fight against the Las Vegas Raiders, which isn’t surprising considering they were facing another bad football team.

Coming into the game, the Patriots hadn’t scored a touchdown since their Week 3 meeting with the New York Jets. They’d been beaten and flat out humiliated by the Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints by a combined 72-3 scoring margin.

But then the football scheduling gods felt pity on them enough to put a road trip to Las Vegas on their itinerary for a matchup with the Raiders.

The offense still stunk, for the most part, but they finally moved the ball and scored two touchdowns on the legs of running backs Ezekiel Elliott and Rhamondre Stevenson.

Wide receiver Kendrick Bourne also had a huge game leading the Patriots with 10 catches for 89 receiving yards. Backup quarterback Malik Cunningham got a taste of regular season action, but he wasn’t out there long enough for it mean anything.

Here are the top Patriots offensive players in Week 6, per Pro Football Focus grades.

3 standout stars for Patriots in Week 6 loss to Raiders

The Patriots put up a fight but still managed to fall short on Sunday. Here are the three standout stars in the Patriots-Raiders game.

The New England Patriots performed much better in Week 6 than they did in their previous two blowout losses to the New Orleans Saints and Dallas Cowboys.

But even with an improved performance, the Patriots ultimately fell in defeat to the Las Vegas Raiders 21-17, thanks to some last-minute self-inflicted wounds.

The Patriots had a chance to come back late in the fourth quarter and fell short as Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby sacked Mac Jones in the end zone for a safety to ultimately close the game out.

Even in defeat, it was clear New England showed up to compete until the final whistle. These were the three standout stars for the team in their third consecutive loss.

Patriots WR Kendrick Bourne still confident in team, even after 1-5 start

Even after a 1-5 start, Patriots WR Kendrick Bourne still has a positive outlook

New England Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne is keeping his spirits up, despite his team’s 1-5 start. The Patriots lost to the Las Vegas Raiders by a 21-17 score on Sunday.

Bourne certainly did his part, catching 10 passes for 89 yards. That was his highest output since last Christmas Eve against the Cincinnati Bengals, when he tallied six receptions for 100 yards. He was a bright spot for New England and able to provide a spark to a struggling offensive unit.

The wide receiver remains hopeful that his team can eventually get things going in the right direction.

“I think we’re all right, man,” said Bourne, via ESPN’s Mike Reiss. “It’s a good test for us. It’s up to us to look ourselves in the mirror and see who we are individually and what we are going to bring every day. Are we just going to quit and come in to work to just work? Or are we going to come to work to really work and put in effort so we can change this thing around? If we get guys coming in like that, I think it will change.”

The Patriots face an uphill battle for the remainder of their 2023 schedule. Things do not get any easier with games against the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins lurking around the corner.

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5 big takeaways from Patriots’ 21-17 loss at Las Vegas

Here are 5 big takeaways from the Patriots-Raiders game

For the first time in three weeks, the New England Patriots scored a touchdown on Sunday afternoon. It only took over two hours of game clock and two agonizing blowouts to accomplish the feat.

The touchdown came against a Las Vegas Raiders team coached by former Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. Ultimately, like most of Bill Belichick’s former assistants coaching against him, McDaniels emerged from the game victorious. His Raiders won the matchup 21-17 in front of an energetic Las Vegas crowd.

The matchup gave Las Vegas their third win of the season while dropping New England to 1-5 on the year.

Here are five big takeaways from the game.

Studs and duds from Patriots’ crushing 21-17 loss to Raiders

Who were the studs and duds from the Patriots’ Week 6 loss to the Raiders?

An easier opponent didn’t make much of a difference for the New England Patriots, who fell in defeat for a third straight time on Sunday afternoon.

After suffering back-to-back blowout losses to the Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints, the Patriots fell victim to a heartbreaking 21-17 road loss to the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 6.

The offense was clearly still sluggish, but they did manage to move the ball better than they have in previous weeks. They even scored two touchdowns after failing to score one in their last two games.

But overall, it was still a disappointing showing from a team that looks like one of the worst in the league. The Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins and even New York Jets look like far superior teams than the Patriots right now.

With a 1-5 record and a schedule loaded with a murderer’s row slate of opponents, there may be no changing that narrative for the Patriots this season.

Here are the studs and duds from Sunday’s game:

Patriots’ top 10 offensive players in Week 5, per PFF grades

Here are the top-10 Patriots offensive players in Week 5, per PFF grades

Not even the hallowed halls of Gillette Stadium could breathe life into the New England Patriots offense in Sunday’s 34-0 loss to the New Orleans Saints.

The theme heading into Week 6 has been about change, but there might not be enough change possible to save the Patriots this season. They lack explosiveness at the skilled positions, and the offensive line gets beaten like a drum weekly in the trenches.

Fans are even desperately calling for rookie quarterback Malik Cunningham to be given the reins as the new starting signal-caller. By the end of the season, this might end up being the worst offensive team in the Bill Belichick coaching era.

The Patriots currently sit dead last in the NFL in scoring with an average of 11 points per game.

There’s a mountain to climb, but even with all of the offensive struggles, the Patriots won’t go down without a fight. They’ll go kicking and screaming if they have to.

Here’s the top-10 offensive players, per Pro Football Focus grades:

Patriots’ top 10 offensive players in Week 4, per PFF grades

Who were the Patriots’ top-10 offensive players in their ugly Week 4 loss?

An offensive implosion for the ages wrecked any hope the New England Patriots ever had of upsetting an angry Dallas Cowboys team at home in Week 4.

Quarterback Mac Jones was at the center of it all with two interceptions and one lost fumble on a strip sack. The Patriots gifted the Cowboys 14 points with two of the turnovers being returned for touchdowns, while the third flipped field position and set Dallas up near the 50-yard line.

The offensive line was undisciplined and unreliable, while the rushing attack completely stalled after showing some life in Week 3 against the New York Jets.

What followed was the worse loss in NFL history by a Bill Belichick-coached team. It was a nightmare performance by the Patriots offense, and their Pro Football Focus grades reflect it.

Let’s take a look at the top-10 offensive players, per their PFF grades in Week 4.