It was a disappointing turn of events for the Patriots when rookie Wide Receiver Javon Baker was ruled out of the teams' game vs the Jaguars in London in week-6 with an apparent illness.
Then, after the Patriots took a 10-0 lead into the second quarter, another Wide Receiver was dealing with an apparent illness, that some speculated to be food poisoning. DeMario Douglas had two catches for 14-yards and was used sporadically throughout the game. He played a season-low 20 snaps after playing 40 and 41 snaps the two previous weeks.
We started hearing rumors of potential reasons for the two players being unable to help their team during the 32-16 loss. Did they both eat the same thing the night before and suffer the effects of food poisoning? Were they both out too late the night before enjoying some of the London nightlife, and perhaps a few too many pints?
Nothing has been disclosed by the team about the reason the two players came down with this sudden illness, but fellow WR Kendrick Bourne appears to have let the cat out of the bag during an interview with reporters from MassLive.
“I have a story in San Fran. We went to the Super Bowl. We were going out all week and we ended up losing the Super Bowl. So, OK, we made the decision to go out. We made these decisions and we go to the football game and we lose. Not that, that’s the reason we lost, but the decisions we make during the week to get ready, to get locked in, and focus effect our end result. So going out overseas, we have to be locked in. I’m not trying to point nobody out, but it’s just we have to focus on what matters. You can go out, but what really matters while we’re here?”
Bourne didn't directly blame a group of young players for enjoying the London nightlife a little too much, but it certainly sounds like some teammates weren't completely there for a football game only.
It's now an issue that head coach Jerod Mayo will certainly be questioned about. And some may point to the situation as another shot at his inability to lead the team in the right direction, and if they are "all in" with what he's trying to build.
Sunday's game in Foxboro vs the Jets will go a long way in determining if his players are buying into his processes or if they're already playing out the string in what appears to be an already disappointing 2023 season.
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