‘Football is Football’: Patriots Offense Embracing New Coaches, Terminology
Since the departure of former offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, the New England Patriots offensive coaching staff has been the subject of much speculation.
Former Detroit Lions head coach Matt Patricia and former New York Giants head Joe Judge [both former Pats assistants as well] are back on New England’s sidelines as top offensive assistants. Much to the chagrin of fans and media alike, the pair is expected to have a hand in crafting the Patriots offense for the upcoming season — neither of whom is known for being a formidable offensive coach.
With Patricia being best known for his contributions on defense, and Judge having his best days as a special teams coordinator, the Pats brain trust looks to be placing its faith in two inexperienced commodities.
Still, both Patricia and Judge have their share of support among several Patriots players.
Among them is wide receiver Kendrick Bourne.
When speaking with reporters at the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts Golf Classic on Thursday, Bourne shared his thoughts on the process of installing a new offensive approach. The 26-year-old wideout was particularly complimentary of Judge’s efforts during New England’s organized team activities (OTAs) over the past two weeks.
“It’s been dope so far,” Bourne told ESPN's Mike Reiss about Judge’s work with the offensive skill position players. “Joe Judge, our newest member, he’s doing a great job. But, really it’s just new terminology, new words. Football is football, so it’s about learning new words, getting the old words out. And just applying my abilities to the new system.”
Having signed with the Patriots as a free agent in the 2021 offseason, Bourne became one of the team’s most-reliable receivers. In his first season with New England, Bourne caught 55 passes for 800 yards and five touchdowns in 17 games. In the Pats lone playoff matchup with the Buffalo Bills, he logged seven catches for 77 yards and two touchdowns. He also demonstrated an ability to be a threat in the running game, 12 carries for 125 yards. The versatile wideout even tossed one touchdown pass; coming in the form of a 25-yard, first-quarter scoring strike to Agholor against the New York Jets in Week Seven.
Heading into his second season with the club, Bourne will use his widespread skill set to enhance his role in New England’s offense. His versatility should allow him to wear multiple hats for the Pats — a fact lost neither on his coaches, nor Bourne himself.
“I say it all the time. It’s lines on the paper, and you follow the lines,” Bourne told NESN’s Zack Cox. “At the end of the day, you’ve got to be a football player, and you have to sometimes adjust. You can’t just follow the exact line and get covered. You have to be a savvy football player. I’m getting paid to use my ability, and they put me in position to use my ability. So once I’m in position and know what I’m doing, now it’s time to use my ability, and that’s the biggest thing. So (I’m) learning the new terms and just building that relationship with the new coaches.”
As a receiver, Bourne has aligned in the slot, and on the outside. Though his technical prowess allows him to win from either alignment, he has looked most comfortable in the Z-receiver role, while occasionally assisting in the slot. However, Bourne has also been called upon to line up at the ‘X’ at times, with a respectable level of success. Lastly, Bourne has been known to carry the ball out of the backfield on occasion; both on the jet sweep and on designed runs.
Based on the training sessions held thus far, it appears that both Bourne and Judge fully expect him to be among the Patriots key contributors on offense in 2022.
“I think he’s putting us in a position to be successful,” Bourne said of Judge. “I’m excited so far. I’ve rushed the ball a lot, doing different things for myself. And he’s even using other players and their strengths. Hopefully, we’ll have a great year. We’ll see how it goes.”
