The New England Patriots took control of their Week 9 game against the Atlanta Falcons in the second quarter, but in the process of doing so lost one of their offensive starters. Kayshon Boutte departed the game with a hamstring injury and after originally being listed as questionable was ruled out for the remainder of the game in the early third quarter.
Boutte’s final snap of the afternoon came with 5:11 left in the second period, a play that resulted in an 11-yard touchdown pass from Drake Maye
to Stefon Diggs. The third-year receiver did join his teammates in celebrating the score, but he did not return to the field since.
Losing Boutte is a blow to the supporting cast around Maye. One of the best deep ball receivers in football this season, the 23-year-old entered the game against Atlanta with 23 catches for 431 yards and five touchdowns to his name. He also topped the list of New England’s wideouts with a 71.8% playing time share.
With the nominal WR1 out, the Patriots gave increased opportunities to depth options DeMario Douglas and Kyle Williams alongside regular starters Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins. The team also activated rookie Efton Chism again, but his primary focus is on the kickoff return game.
