FOXBORO — Sunday’s win over the Falcons was an emotional day for Patriots huge receiver DeMario Douglas and operating again Terrell Jennings.
The 2 Patriots gamers, who have been additionally highschool teammates at Mandarin Excessive College in Jacksonville, Fla., have been each mourning the lack of Douglas’ uncle, who died on Saturday evening.
“He was with us. This complete morning was exhausting,” Douglas stated, as feelings began getting the most effective of him. “As individuals got here as much as me, I attempted to attempt to maintain — I simply tried to be a person, and I simply needed to put my head down. I simply know he was with me, and he was with Terrell, too.”
Jennings described Douglas’ uncle as a “shut pal to my household” and stated he was “balling” for him.
Douglas had the primary 100-yard efficiency of his profession on 4 receptions with a landing. Jennings, who was signed off of the follow squad and onto the 53-man roster on Wednesday, scored his first NFL landing on an 11-carry, 35-yard efficiency.
“I noticed the opening. As quickly as I touched the top zone, I simply praised the Lord,” Jennings stated. “I’m thanking God in my head, like, thanks God. That is what I play the sport for, to get in the long run zone. My teammates being there, that made the entire expertise higher.”
Added Douglas: “That’s a blessing. We waited for this second. Terrell did. He trusted the method, and he’s capitalizing and that’s a blessing.”
Each Douglas and Jennings noticed their roles enhance in Sunday’s sport as a result of accidents. Patriots huge receiver Kayshon Boutte suffered a hamstring damage early within the sport and didn’t return, resulting in extra targets for Douglas.
Jennings break up the Patriots’ workload out of the backfield with rookie TreVeyon Henderson after Rhamondre Stevenson was dominated out on Friday with a toe damage.
Douglas had a message for Jennings after his teammate had some doubts about when his alternative would come up.
“I’m like, ‘belief the method.’” Douglas stated. I by no means had that ‘belief the method’ second till this 12 months. Now I can actually preach it. Belief the method and every thing’s gonna play out proper.”
Douglas stated his “belief the method” second got here when he fell down the huge receiver depth chart this season. Regardless of seeing fewer snaps, he’s caught 18 passes for 262 yards with three touchdowns this season. He has 232 of these yards in his final 4 video games.
