Kayshon Boutte on the final play of the Patriots drive Sunday: ‘You live and you learn’
The Patriots had rookie wide receiver Kayshon Boutte on the field with 29 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
The sixth-round pick who battled in training camp to make the Patriots 53-man roster came just inches away from making one of the biggest catches of the night.
Mac Jones connected with Boutte for a 12-yard catch that moved the football to the 8-yard line. The Patriots were driving down the field looking for a comeback win over the defending NFC champion’ Eagles.
The crowd at Gillette were ecstatic, cheering on the Patriots and the huge Boutte catch.
Instead, the stadium went silent as the play was reviewed because it was within the last two minutes of the game. Following the official review, it was ruled that Boutte only had one foot in bounds and the catch was ruled incomplete.
The play happened on fourth-and-11 so the turnover on downs resulted in the Patriots losing 25-20.
Following the game, Boutte spoke with reporters, frustrated for not making the catch but confident he will if the opportunity presents itself in the future.
“You know, there are opportunities that came our way today that everybody got to make. And I felt like that was my opportunity,” Boutte said. “We practice it day in and day out. That’s something I feel like I could’ve caught.”
Boutte took to social media to continue to voice his frustration. “You live and you learn,” Boutte wrote on his Instagram. “It’s part of the game but it happens.
Jones targeted Boutte four times on Sunday without making a catch. He caught the ball on the sideline twice in the game, but failed to get his feet in both times.
Despite the inability to get his feet in-bounds on the play, the fact that Boutte was on the field in a high-leverage spot, shows the confidence the coaching staff has in the rookie.
The LSU product had a heavy workload Sunday, the 21-year-old played 55 of New England’s 80 offensive snaps, that was second only to Kendrick Bourne (73).
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