During the game against the Miami Dolphins, the New England Patriots had two initial offensive drives, running a total of 16 plays. Demario Douglas, the rookie wide receiver, was part of six of those plays. Unfortunately, his last snap on the field was during a third-and-seven play. Douglas showed impressive agility, making a quick change in direction after catching the ball. But he didn’t notice linebacker Bradley Chubb closing in from behind, resulting in a fumble.
“When I turned towards the right and saw the end zone, I got excited and forgot about the people coming from behind,” Douglas explained after the game. “They pulled my arm and the ball came loose.”
After the fumble, Douglas didn’t get to play on offense again for the rest of the game. He wasn’t surprised, though, as he knew it was crucial to hold onto the ball.
“Yeah, definitely,” he said. “Keeping the ball secure is the top priority.”
After the game, Patriots Coach Bill Belichick said, “We had a lot of good players on offense today. Can’t play everybody — Parker, Gesicki, Henry, Smith-Schuster, Bourne all had good days.”
Leaving the rookie on the sideline raised questions, as Douglas has become a key player for New England.
Without him, the Patriots relied on a tight end-heavy formation. While they scored two touchdowns, they had trouble gaining yards and making plays after catches.
Douglas, in contrast, gained 19 yards on two receptions and proved to be a challenge for Dolphins defenders to tackle.
Mac Jones shared, “Mistakes happen, especially with young players like Douglas and myself with the interception. We’ve got to learn from it. Turnovers can’t happen. We’ll work on it, address it, and improve.”
He advised Douglas to stay positive and focus on daily practice for better ball security. During the game, Douglas was already seen working on this, holding onto a football given to him by Ty Montgomery on the sideline.
Looking ahead, the rookie sees this as a valuable learning experience.
“This will actually benefit me,” Douglas expressed. “Understanding the game’s speed and everyone converging on the ball. I just need to heighten my awareness.”
“While I’m not happy it happened during the game, it’s what I required. I’m more alert now,” he added.