The New England Patriots didn't have a good Week 1 game, but it's time to put their loss to the Las Vegas Raiders behind them. If the Patriots want any chance of sending a message to the lowly Miami Dolphins in Week 2, then the offense needs to make serious improvements.
That includes a specific New England wide receiver who, if he doesn't improve his play, could be benched following another rough performance.
Patriots Could Bench WR DeMario Douglas with a Poor Week 2 Performance
Going into the season, the Patriots' receiver room had a lot of questions, including those about how new WR Stefon Diggs would look after rehabbing a torn ACL. One receiver that people were excited to see was DeMario Douglas, especially with Josh McDaniels returning to be the team's new offensive coordinator. With how friendly McDaniels' system has been to slot WRs, people expected Douglas to be the Patriots' top receiver.
During the opening week, Douglas struggled to get on the same page as quarterback Drake Maye, only hauling in two catches on his seven targets. While he did bring in the team's only touchdown, Douglas still finished with minus-two yards on the day. If the former Liberty playmaker wants to see the field consistently, he must prove that Week 1 was a fluke and have a great Week 2 performance.
Leading up to the team's Week 2 matchup, Diggs brought up how the receivers can help improve the offense. While this was a general statement, Diggs is right in saying that the wideouts can be better and help improve the offense as a whole. If Douglas does have another rough game, the team has two rookie WRs whom they could turn to in Kyle Williams and Efton Chism, as well as veterans like Mack Hollins and Kayshon Boutte.
Although Douglas likely won't have another rough game like he did in the season opener, a strong Week 2 game would go a long way in reassuring fans that he can still be a valuable receiver for the team.
The Patriots' next game is a perfect opportunity for Douglas to have a reset week as the team travels to take on the division rival Miami Dolphins, who are coming off an embarrassing 33-8 loss to the Indianapolis Colts — a game where the AFC East team allowed 262 passing yards.