It was a slow start for the New England Patriots offense down in Tampa Bay on Sunday. Then Kyle Williams joined the party.
After their first two drives of the afternoon ended in punts, the Patriots were looking for a spark. They found it on the first play of their third possession, as Drake Maye checked into a look that resulted in Williams running one-on-one across the field. As the QB hit him in stride, Williams and his 4.40-second speed did the rest taking it 72 yards for his first career touchdown.
“I think Kyle’s play early – we really needed that one,” head coach Mike Vrabel said post game. “That was the one that we were talking about, just needing one play and he hit it, and it was great to see him have that success.”
A third-round pick in this year’s draft, it’s been a slow start to the rookie season for Williams. Entering Sunday playing 21 percent of the team’s offensive snaps, Williams had recorded just two catches for 20 yards over his first nine games.
The lack of production, however, did not stop him from staying ready for his moment.
“For me, it’s just been a consistent process,” Williams explained. “I follow what [Stefon] Diggs, Mack [Hollins], [Kayshon] Boutte, the vets do. I have my routine set, and I just stay true to it. Just because I’m not getting this many plays, or this week I got 10 plays – I’m not gonna shy away from that routine.
“I’m gonna stay on it, because at some point, I’m going to be needed, and they’re going to depend on me, and I’ve got to be ready, and I was ready this week.”
New England needed Williams Sunday due to fellow wide receiver Kayshon Boutte being sidelined due to a hamstring injury. The rookie saw elevated snaps throughout the week in practice with Boutte out, and knew the opportunity ahead of him.
“I knew it was huge. We always say you prepare as a starter, and I really took that to heart this week because I knew what was at stake,” Williams said. “When you get an opportunity, you’re not promised another one. You get what I’m saying? So, for me, it was just making the most of it whenever my ‘ops’ (opportunities) came, just making the most of it and then just stacking. So, I’m proud of myself.”
Williams went on to play a career-high 34 snaps in the Patriots’ 28-23 win over the Buccaneers. While his touchdown reception was his only one of the day (two targets), it’s a play the soon-to-be 23-year old can build off of as he looks to continue to make an impact over the second half of the season.
“I’m just proud of him for stepping up. He only got maybe [two] targets and made it count,” Maye said of the receiver. “So just proud of him for getting in there. He got a lot of reps this week, and there were sometimes on the tape where he was probably more open, and I’ve just got to look his way.”
