New England Patriots show some "pop" with Demario Douglas
What a difference a week can make for the New England Patriots! At this time last week, we, as fans, were talking about a horrific 21-17 loss to the lowly Las Vegas Raiders.
To add to the pain, the Patriots had the Buffalo Bills coming to town, who had won six of the last seven matchups. But Buffalo forgot to account for one thing: Demario "Pop" Douglas was back for the Patriots.
Demario "Pop" Douglas returning to the New England Patriots and immediately contributing
The biggest thing with the New England Patriots' offense is that they seem to stall out on drives and have trouble moving the ball at times. But when "Pop" Douglas returned from injury, it seemed like it gave the Patriots a necessary spark!
Douglas ended the day with four catches for 54 yards. He also had a rush on a jet sweep that ended up going for 20 yards. But if you genuinely watched the game in detail, you see exactly what number 81 did for this Patriots offense. It gave them a sense of unpredictability. It allowed them to open up the playbook. Not to mention that the Patriots were actually playing from ahead all of the game!
Demario "Pop" Douglas giving Mac Jones and the New England Patriots another weapon
The veteran wide receivers on the Patriots have been severely underwhelming. Juju Smith-Schuster has been an absolute bust and missed Sunday's game with a concussion. Devante Parker only had one reception for eight yards in Sunday's victory. So, somebody had to step up and be a playmaker. Today, it was "Pop".
When "Pop" opens the field up more for the Patriots' offense, it gives them a new element to work off of throughout the game. The running game can open up because defenses have to worry about a receiver with actual speed separation. When the line blocks well, like they did on Sunday, it can extend plays for Mac Jones and give him time to find "Pop" and other receivers.
The more Douglas plays, the more consistent we'll see the offense function. With more consistency in the offense comes more confidence and consistency from Mac Jones. It's a domino effect, and all the dominoes need to be put in place for this Patriots team to succeed.
The bottom line with New England Patriots receiver Demario "Pop" Douglas
Demario "Pop" Douglas is a player who should be around the Patriots' offense for the next great Patriots team. It's clear the Patriots saw something in the sixth-round pick out of Liberty,
This 2023 Patriots team probably won't make the playoffs. But as a focal point in the offense going forward, Douglas could be fun and exciting.
So, hopefully, Douglas continues to have solid games like he did on Sunday against the Bills. This kid can play and needs to be out on the field as much as possible moving forward.