Tag: Kendrick Bourne

Studs and duds in Patriots’ historically bad loss to Cowboys

Who were the studs and duds from Sunday’s game?

The New England Patriots made history for all of the wrong reasons in their shocking 38-3 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

In coach Bill Belichick’s 29 years as a head coach, he has never lost a game by 35 points—until Sunday. The Patriots got beat like a drum on the road by the Cowboys on both sides of the ball.

On offense, it was another sluggish effort with Mac Jones turning the ball over and struggling to move the ball downfield. On defense, it was all about injuries with Christian Gonzalez, Matthew Judon and Jabrill Peppers all going down.

The wheels finally fell off a Patriots defense that had been resilient up to this point, and the offense looked like it stepped into a time machine to the dreadful 2022 season.

Here are the studs and duds from the Patriots’ third regular season loss:

Patriots’ top 10 offensive players in Week 3, per PFF grades

Which Patriots offensive players had the highest PFF grades in Week 3?

The New England Patriots had just enough of an offensive pulse to squeak out an ugly 15-10 win over the New York Jets.

Make no mistake, Sunday’s game was all about Matthew Judon and the rest of the Patriots defense throwing on the red cape and saving the day. But there were still solid efforts made on the offensive side of the ball as well.

Quarterback Mac Jones was efficient and didn’t turn the ball over. A third tight end emerged as a legitimate offensive threat for New England. And the offensive line put up a better fight than expected against a Jets defensive front that ranks among the best in football.

It wasn’t pretty by any stretch of the imagination, but the Patriots offense hasn’t come close to reaching its full potential. Here are the Patriots’ top-10 offensive players from Week 3, according to their Pro Football Focus grades.

Patriots’ top 10 offensive players in Week 2, per PFF grades

Here’s who topped the Patriots’ offense in Week 2.

The offensive frustrations continued for the New England Patriots in Sunday’s run-in with the division rival Miami Dolphins. Like the season opener, it was a hot-and-cold performance from quarterback Mac Jones and company in Week 2.

The unit got off to a horrific start with two turnovers—an interception thrown by Jones and a drive-killing fumble by rookie wide receiver Demario Douglas.

But then there were moments of hope with Jones stepping up and making big-time throws to keep the team in the game. The biggest issue throughout the matchup was the offensive line struggles and the lack of separation from receivers at certain points.

It’s one of those performances where the Patriots can take the little good away and go back to the drawing board for Week 3. But whatever changes are coming need to happen fast with the team already in a two-game hole to start the season.

Here are the top-10 offensive players in Week 2, per Pro Football Focus grades:

Patriots WR Kendrick Bourne laments this crucial play vs. Eagles

Wide receiver Kendrick Bourne is frustrated with one particular play in Sunday’s loss to the Eagles.

Although there were plenty of missed opportunities for the New England Patriots in their loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, wide receiver Kendrick Bourne wants one play back in particular.

New England had a third-and-12 towards the end of the third quarter. The Patriots were only down by five at that point in the game. Quarterback Mac Jones delivered a solid throw between two Eagles defenders, but Bourne could not haul it in.

“A drop, honestly,” said Bourne, via NESN’s Zack Cox. “I’ve got to make the catch. I pride myself on making tough catches. I’m pretty bummed about that one. I want to show up for my teammates in all areas. Touchdowns are cool, everything’s cool, but a big play like that would have changed the momentum even more. …

“I know I can make that catch, and next time I will.”

Bourne had a productive game for New England, tallying six catches for 64 yards and two touchdowns. The performance was reminiscent of his 2021 season. He was Jones’ favorite target that year, and Sunday was more of the same.

Still, there was a crucial play to be made in a game that was decided by less than a touchdown. Bourne isn’t hiding from that fact, and he expects to bounce back better from it.

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3 standout stars from Patriots’ Week 1 loss to Eagles

Who were the three standout stars for the Patriots in Week 1?

The New England Patriots couldn’t pull out the victory in the end of a 25-20 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, but they had a real chance at stealing a win against one of the best teams in the NFL.

It was a surprising effort by the Patriots, who took it to the wire when facing the defending NFC champions. Although we do not do moral victories around here, the Patriots fielded an elite defense and competent offense.

That’s clearly something to be excited about. Let’s take a look at the three standout players for the Patriots in Sunday’s near monumental upset victory over the Eagles.

Studs and duds in Patriots’ season-opening loss to Eagles

Here are the studs and duds from the Patriots’ season-opening loss to the Eagles.

The New England Patriots came within a drive of shocking the sports world on Sunday by knocking off the defending NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles, but far too many mistakes and a failure to execute down the stretch cost them.

This game will feel like the one that got away for the team, especially after they watch the film and see all of the plays they left on the field. However, it could also be viewed as a building block for an improved effort in 2023.

The offense looks like it’s finally in a good place under Bill O’Brien, and Mac Jones is playing with the utmost confidence. Meanwhile, the defense held an elite quarterback in Jalen Hurts to only 170 passing yards and one touchdown in the 20-25 loss.

Here are the studs and duds from the game.

Kendrick Bourne reveals unique way of preparing for Eagles

Kendrick Bourne is taking a fun approach to preparing for the Eagles.

Like all of us, New England Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne likes to take a load off from time to time, but he’s doing so while also preparing for the Philadelphia Eagles.

In an Instagram story, he made a hilarious post of himself playing EA’s “Madden” video game with the caption, “Getting ready lol.”

This could be a decent way to prepare, as the Eagles are the second-highest rated team in “Madden” at 91 overall. In real life, the Eagles are the defending NFC champions with even more talent than they had last season.

The Patriots defense will have to contend with a bunch of offensive weapons, such as Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. Defensively, five-time Pro Bowl cornerback Darius Slay, is someone Bourne will probably see often.

Here’s to hoping Bourne’s Madden game will translate well on the field. New England will need all the help they can get, as they open up with the hardest schedule in the NFL.

Kickoff time is set for Sept 10. at 4:25 p.m. ET.

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Kendrick Bourne confident Patriots receivers will prove doubters wrong

Kendrick Bourne believes the Patriots’ receivers are going to surprise people in 2023.

There have been doubts as to how the New England Patriots wide receiver group will perform in the 2023 season, but wideout Kendrick Bourne believes the group can prove doubters wrong.

Bourne is determined to have a bounce-back year after recording only 35 catches for 434 yards and a touchdown last season. He wasn’t utilized much, as the New England offense struggled throughout the course of the year. Now,  he will be looking to become an integral part of the offense like he was in his career-season in 2021.

The wide receiver unit includes veterans like Bourne, JuJu Smith-Schuster and DeVante Parker, as well as up-and-coming rookies Kayshon Boutte and Demario Douglas. The mix of talent has Bourne believing the Patriots can play the underdog role at the wide receiver position.

“I think we’re going to be a group that’s going to shock a lot of people,” Bourne said, via NESN’s Zack Cox. “It’s good to be the underdogs.”

It will be interesting to see what the Patriots’ wide receiver room can do with this particular group. One thing is for certain: Bourne does not lack confidence they can prove naysayers wrong.

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Patriots reportedly turned down trade calls for veteran WR

The Patriots weren’t budging on trade calls for Kendrick Bourne.

The New England Patriots reportedly turned down calls from teams seeking to trade for veteran wide receiver Kendrick Bourne, ahead of Tuesday’s 53-man roster deadline.

New England is not interested in trading the wide receiver, according to The Athletic’s Jeff Howe.

Bourne is looking for a bounce-back season after recording 35 catches for 434 yards and a touchdown in 2022. He didn’t receive a ton of playing time last season, and his numbers dipped from 2021.

The 2021 season proved to be more fruitful, as he tallied a career-high 55 catches for 800 yards and five touchdowns. He was one of quarterback Mac Jones’ favorite targets, and it looked as though the quarterback and receiver had built a strong rapport.

Bourne could have another big year in the offense with Bill O’Brien leading the charge as the new offensive coordinator. A return to form for Bourne would be huge for an offensive unit looking to take flight in 2023.

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6 takeaways from final day of Patriots training camp practice

Training camp has come and gone for the Patriots. Here are six takeaways from the team’s final practice.

The final day of training camp practice came and went for the New England Patriots on Wednesday. It’s crazy to think we are only a day away from the preseason finale and a little over two weeks away from the Patriots’ regular season opener.

These last few weeks have flown by, and we have reached the point where players on the roster bubble will have their final chance to convince coach Bill Belichick to keep them around on the 53-man roster.

The Patriots were in full pads for their final training camp practice, and there were several notable names that didn’t participate, including:

CB Jonathan Jones

G Cole Strange

WR Tyquan Thornton

OT Conor McDermott

ST Cody Davis

CB Isaiah Bolden

OT Calvin Anderson

DE Trey Flowers

C Kody Russey

Next on the itinerary for the Patriots is making the trek to Nashville for Friday’s game against the Tennessee Titans. But before liftoff, here are some takeaways from their final practice.