DeMario Douglas trusts the process and it pays off in Patriots’ win over Falcons: ‘Now I can really preach it’

Copyright The Boston Globe

Douglas played an integral part in the offense, which hasn’t always been the case this season. After Week 1, when Douglas was on the field for 63.4 percent of the offense’s snaps, the Patriots slashed his playing time significantly. Through Weeks 2-8, Douglas was on the field for just 25.9 percent of the offense’s snaps. The drop in playing time — and, as a result, production — was an adjustment for Douglas, who previously led the team in targets and receiving yards as a rookie. The 24-year-old Douglas has embraced the sizable change in his role, in part thanks to the team culture established by new coach Mike Vrabel. Yes, a winning record certainly eases the situation, but Douglas has said all the right things throughout the season. “For the first two years, I was playing a lot,” Douglas said. “This year, it was kind of a little lower. But I trust the process. Everything is going to work out. Our team is amazing. Everybody smiles. Everybody connects with each other. It’s easy to be lifted up with this team. “Our coaches come in with energy, so you better have energy, too. They don’t love no vampire. They don’t want anybody to drain you.” Vrabel has consistently encouraged Douglas, highlighting on multiple occasions his efforts even when he’s not the intended receiver. “When Pop doesn’t have the ball and somebody else does, he’s turning and blocking and doing all the things that we ask him to do to protect our identity,” Vrabel said. “We have to continue to find him on some of these runaways or some of these slot plays that are really good for him. I love having him on the team. He’s fun to coach. He sits right up front, and he’s always into it.” Veteran wide receiver Stefon Diggs, who had three catches for 38 yards with an 11-yard TD catch, also praised Douglas for his attitude. “I’m proud of him,” Diggs said. “Pop is a baller. He comes into work, he does everything right, and he does it with a smile. Even when things don’t go as well, he might not get the rock, he’s always smiling, he’s always encouraging. He damn sure keeps me in the good mind frame for him, because I’ll be ready to spaz all the time over anything during the week, in the game. But Pop got that smile that will light up a room. I’m just so proud of him.” Sunday’s performance meant a little bit more to Douglas because he lost a family friend Saturday night. Running back Terrell Jennings, who grew up in the same area and went to the same high school in Jacksonville, Fla., as Douglas, was also grieving the loss. “He was a family friend,” said Jennings, who scored his first career touchdown on a 3-yard run. “We called him, ‘Tiger.’ He’s like an uncle to us, me and Pop, actually. He took care of us when we were out with him back home. He tragically got killed late [Saturday] night. That was big on my heart this morning. I just wanted to ball for him.” Added Douglas, “He was with us. This whole morning was hard.” There could be a bigger opening in the offense for Douglas moving forward, if Kayshon Boutte misses additional time because of the hamstring injury he suffered in the first half. Boutte, who leads all Patriots wide receivers in snaps, left the game and did not return. The Patriots have relied on Boutte, Diggs, and Mack Hollins as their primary receiving trio, so Douglas and rookie Kyle Williams are next in line for more should Boutte be unavailable. Douglas, though, won’t preoccupy himself with the distribution of snaps and targets. “I love this team and can’t wait to see how far we go,” he said.