FOXBORO, Mass. — Demario Douglas believed he could have helped the Patriots as they staged a comeback bid Sunday night. But he knew why he was stuck watching that rally from the sideline.
Douglas, New England’s impressive rookie slot receiver, lost a fumble on the final play of the first quarter and then didn’t play another offensive snap over the final three in a 24-17 loss to the Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium.
While head coach Bill Belichick would not publicly say Douglas’ removal from the game plan was related to his ball-security gaffe, the optics were clear. The Patriots have a long history of punishing young players who don’t hold on to the football.
“(Ball security) is the No. 1 thing,” Douglas said after the game. “And I already know. That’s why I had the mindset of, I’ve just got to come back next week harder, for sure.”
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Douglas was one of the Patriots’ top performers in training camp this summer, and he looked like a potential difference-maker in his limited playing time Sunday, catching his first two targets from quarterback Mac Jones for 19 yards.
On the second, he got open over the middle on third-and-8, stopped on a dime to evade a trailing cornerback — then had the ball punched out of his hand by edge rusher Bradley Chubb.
The Dolphins scored on the ensuing possession to take a 10-0 lead, then stretched that advantage to 17-3 before halftime.
The sixth-round draft pick admitted he got distracted by the open space he saw downfield and didn’t realize Chubb was closing in from behind.
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“When I turned to go to the right, I saw the end zone and kind of got excited,” Douglas said. “I forgot about people that were coming from behind. He pulled my arm, and I let the ball go.”
Several teammates came over to encourage Douglas once he reached the sideline. Veteran Ty Montgomery gave him a football — which Douglas could be seen holding on NBC’s game broadcast — as a reminder to protect it. Douglas’ only snaps from that point on came as a punt returner, which he took over after a shoulder injury knocked Marcus Jones out of the game.
Was it hard for Douglas to sit and watch the Patriots’ offense, which scored two second-half touchdowns but couldn’t erase the double-digit deficit? “Most definitely,” he said.
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“I believe I could have made a difference,” Douglas said, later adding: “It was time for me to just be on the sideline and raise everybody else up.”
But he accepted his punishment — and even viewed it as something he “needed” as a first-year player adjusting to the speed of the NFL game.
“I hate that it happened in the game, but it’s what I needed,” he said. “I know I’ll be more aware now.”
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It’s unclear whether the ramifications of Douglas’ fumble will extend beyond this game. But he’s hoping to make amends when the Patriots visit the New York Jets next Sunday.
“It’ll be something to learn from,” he said. “Whenever I get back in, I’m going to make it count, for sure.”
Featured image via David Butler II/USA TODAY Sports Images
