Bill Belichick won’t explain why Kendrick Bourne hasn’t played more after breakout vs. Bengals

FOXBORO – Midway through the fourth quarter Saturday, Kendrick Bourne had accounted for more than half of the Patriots’ total offense.

The former Eastern Washington standout scored their only offensive touchdown. He’d pulled in a spectacular grab to set up another, toe-tapping along the sideline for a 28-yard gain. Earlier, he ripped off the Patriots’ longest run, a 29-yarder in the first half.

So why didn’t Bourne see more playing time before Saturday’s 22-18 loss to the Bengals? Pats coach Bill Belichick wouldn’t say.

“No particular reason,” Belichick said.

On Saturday, Bourne’s bump in playing time was likely tied to an injury (DeVante Parker’s concussion) and a lack of production from another veteran, Nelson Agholor. The latter caught one pass on six targets the game before at Las Vegas and didn’t register in the stat sheet Sunday. Without them, Bourne, rookie Tyquan Thornton and Jakobi Meyers took virtually all of the Patriots’ wide receiver snaps.

On the season, Bourne’s playing time has been reduced from 52% of the team’s offensive snaps last season to 40% this year entering Saturday. His production is also way down, a function of lesser opportunity and inconsistent play. While he’s dropped passes in two of the Patriots’ last four games, he’s also proven to be their only run-after-catch threat.

After Saturday’s loss, Bourne said he knows his teammates and coaches still believe in him despite the more limited opportunities. He rewarded that faith with his first career 100-yard game.

“Just in practice, man, I’m still involved, things like that. Going in, getting my opportunities, it’s just about making them when I get them. It’s not the easiest situation, but I make the most of it when I get ’em,” Bourne told reporters.

On the season, Bourne is now up to 30 catches for 373 yards and a touchdown. Last year, he set career highs in catches (55), receiving yards (800) and receiving touchdowns (5).