Every member of the Patriots should have felt embarrassed when they boarded the team plane to head back to New England on Sunday, but one player probably should have felt it more than others.
Sunday presented an opportunity for Kayshon Boutte to prove himself. The Patriots only dressed four wide receivers for their road matchup with the Cardinals, whose pass defense ranks in the bottom half of the NFL. But Boutte, as has been the case since he arrived in New England, provided next to nothing by catching only two passes for 19 yards.
To be fair, Boutte’s poor performance at State Farm Stadium wasn’t entirely his fault. New England employed a bizarre offensive game plan in Week 15, so much so that Patriots owners couldn’t contain their frustration. But the second-year receiver deserved complete criticism for what he put forth after his team fell to 3-11 with a 30-17 loss.
Boutte openly criticized New England’s offensive play-calling against Arizona, which was justified in a vacuum. But in doing so, the 22-year-old called it “disrespectful” of the Cardinals to play man coverage early in the contest. A completely unproven Year 2 player does not have the grounds to call out a team like that, and he failed to rationalize why Arizona chose that strategy. It’s because the Patriots’ receiving corps — Boutte very much included — completely stinks.
The LSU product’s ridiculous remarks didn’t end there, though. Boutte also seemed the criticize Drake Maye’s ball placement on a third-quarter pass attempt that resulted in a Cardinals interception. The 2023 sixth-round pick called Maye’s pass “kind of low,” even though the rookie quarterback appeared to purposely place it there so Boutte would sit on the route and pick up a much-needed first down when the Patriots still were in striking distance.
It’s been a trying season for everyone at One Patriot Place, so it’s understandable when a player’s frustration boils over. But Boutte showcased a major lack of awareness Sunday and it made New England’s miserable day at the office look even worse.
