Whether it’s a healthy-enough Drake Maye or resurgent Jacoby Brissett throwing against Tennessee on Sunday, the Patriots wide receivers have to do a better job when targeted on game day.
They know it.
New England’s receivers only combined for seven catches against New York last Sunday, and Kendrick Bourne, Kayshon Boutte, and Tyquan Thornton all suffered drops. Bourne said, when it comes to his play, he thinks he at least knows where to start diagnosing the problem.
“[We] just work on hand-eye and seeing the ball in,” Bourne said about getting over the cases of the dropsies. “It’s tough in the moment, there are defenders coming at you certain ways, and just staying focused on the ball when defenders are coming at you from different directions. Catching in traffic, working on things like that.”
“We’ve got to be focused on the target and the way the ball is coming to us instead of looking at the defender, because that’s what causes drops sometimes,” he said.
The Patriots have recorded the second-least passing yards through eight games in the NFL. Only the Titans, who they see in Week 9, have posted fewer. New England also has the second lowest completion percentage in the league. Patriots quarterbacks have to shoulder some of those numbers, as well, but there’s no excuse for dropping a pass from Maye when he puts it right on your chest.
The highest a Patriot receiver appears when tracking total yards across the league is DeMario Douglas, who ranks 75th with a total of 271 receiving yards. Tight end Hunter Henry has far outproduced all of the wideouts individually, ranking 43rd in receiving yards with 358 total. That might be why he earned praise from offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt as a “security blanket” last week.
K.J. Osborn described the receiver room as “a funny group” with “a lot of personality” off the field, but noted that it’s still a young room. He said the Patriots saw his experience as league veteran as a positive in helping younger guys along, which he’s been hands-on about in practices.
“At the right time, if I feel led to, I kind of pull them aside and tell them something that can help their game, whether it’s on the field or off the field,” he said.
There are cases of younger guys appearing to get with the program. Boutte was honored as a practice player of the week before his elevation on the roster, and attributed his growth to spending more time at the team facility than he did in his rookie season. Despite reports about a curfew bust in London, Javon Baker got the opportunity to return a kick against New York. Special teams plays are the type of inroad Bourne said could help young receivers identify their role in the Patriots offense.
It’s also not just about drops. Butterfingers on a pass might be the most deflating moment for a receiver, but Bourne sees plenty of other areas for improvement.
“We’ve just got to keep working on time and spacing. Being in the right place at the right time, that’s where I feel like I can be better, always. Running routes. When you get in the right spot, those opportunities present themselves,” he said.
Yards after catch are another aspect Bourne said could be “huge” for this offense. Currently, Douglas leads the group in that category with an average of 5.6 YAC per reception.
There’s no magic wand Van Pelt or receivers coach Tylor Hughes can wave over the room. They’re going through some growing pains.
“We’re still in a process,” Bourne said. “We’re close, though.”