FOXBORO -- During a year when the Patriots have been desperate for offense, the case of Kendrick Bourne’s playing time has been more than curious.
Seldom used in certain games -- he played just 11 snaps in a loss to the Raiders last week -- Bourne made it clear that he is one of New England‘s top offensive playmakers on Saturday. He recorded his first 100-yard game of his career, and along with quarterback Mac Jones, he helped breathe life into the Patriots offense in the second half against the Bengals.
Did Bourne feel as though he proved anything in his latest outing, despite his team’s 22-18 loss?
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"Not at all, man," he said. "Just being ready. That’s the biggest thing. Nothing to prove. Just being ready when my coaches call me. I’m happy they still believe in me. And no matter how it looks, or what it sounds like, they believe me."
At times, it has looked like the opposite is true. Bourne seemed to first run afoul of the Patriots coaching staff during joint practices with the Panthers in August. He was pulled off the field for an equipment issue at one point, and he later found himself engaged in a fight that got him kicked out of practice. He barely played in the season-opener against the Dolphins, but as soon as he entered the game, Jones found him for an explosive play.
When the Patriots receiver group is healthy, Bourne typically finds himself down the depth chart. Jakobi Meyers, DeVante Parker, Tyquan Thornton and Nelson Agholor have all played more than Bourne in recent weeks.
He told NBC Sports Boston that following his commentary on the Patriots offensive schemes in the aftermath of a loss to the Bills in Week 13, he was spoken to by his bosses. He showed flashes against the Cardinals the following week with Meyers out due to a concussion. But against the Raiders in Week 15, with Meyers back, he was an afterthought in the Patriots game plan.
It appeared as though his first snap against the Bengals on Saturday came in the second quarter, when he took a hand-off for a 29-yard gain. Bourne later reeled in a scramble-drill touchdown, an acrobatic 28-yard gain along the sideline and a 32-yard seam pass in traffic.
Why have his opportunities been relatively few and far between, Bill Belichick was asked after the game?
"No particular reason," Belichick said.
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Clearly, Mac Jones has faith in Bourne, which makes his lack of playing time this season even more confounding.
"He’s a great teammate," Jones said, "and he's one of my closest friends. Every time I've seen him, he's had a smile on his face, even in a situation like that at the end of the game where we're trying to fight back and there's a lot of pressure, he's in there smiling, like, ‘Let’s go do that.’
"When you see that from a guy, and I'm saying the same stuff in the huddle, I want to look for a guy like that, who wants to compete and play, and play with effort. He's one of those guys."
Bourne’s outspoken nature and bumpy camp may have thrown his 2022 season off track. But not finding a way to utilize his talents more consistently may end up as one of this coaching staff’s biggest regrets in a year when they find themselves near the bottom of the league in terms of offensive efficiency.
His Christmas Eve performance was an eye-opening reminder of what Bourne can do when given an opportunity.