Damiere Byrd dropping wide open touchdown sums up Patriots 2020 season
The Patriots could’ve gotten off to a great start but Damiere Byrd’s drop was a killer.
The New England Patriots won’t be making the playoffs in 2020, but they have a chance to play spoiler and salvage their streak of not finishing the year with a losing record since 2000. They knew heading into Monday Night Football that they’d need almost everything to go their way in order to defeat the AFC East champs.
And early on, it looked like the Patriots might’ve been able to set the tone. They quickly drove into Buffalo Bills’ territory and appeared to be in a rhythm. Sony Michel was running hard and then Josh McDaniels threw off the defense with a trick play.
Michel took the toss to the right, stopped on a dime, threw a backwards pass across the field to Cam Newton, who then hurled a downfield ball to a wide open Damiere Byrd inside the five-yard line.
But Byrd had one of the more embarrassing drops you’ll see.
the whole play is just wonderful, from the duck by Sony Michel to Damiere Byrd taking one off the face pic.twitter.com/zoO8n3uoCV
— Christian D'Andrea (@TrainIsland) December 29, 2020
That’s just the 2020 season in a nutshell and there’s no other way to describe it. The Patriots won’t be having anything go their way, even in the final two games. At this rate, the Jets look like they’ll be able to run them off the field in Week 17.
Ten of the other players on the offense executed their jobs almost flawlessly here and it came down to the relatively sure-handed Byrd, who had nobody within five yards of him. Doink, right off the helmet. Then bobbled in his hands. Then he was sent to the turf like a rag doll.
Damiere Byrd has played 811 snaps (90%) for the Patriots in 2020. That makes him WR1, as far as snaps go. He has 45 catches, 590 yards, 1 TD.
— Henry McKenna (@McKennAnalysis) December 29, 2020
Next drive? You bet! A three and out. Then the Bills marched down the field after keeping their drive alive with a fake punt. Yup. Even the Patriots’ ironclad special teams unit can’t keep it together for the entire evening.
That’s when you really know things are bad.
Man, what a brutal drop by Damiere Byrd.
— Doug Kyed (@DougKyed) December 29, 2020
Byrd's drops have been adding up in recent weeks.
Are we surprised, though? Patriots fans have felt this way for much of the year even when things were going “well.” It never really seemed right.
We can’t wait for Week 1 of 2021.
