Toucher & Rich: Bob Socci talks Kendrick Bourne drama

What's the deal between Kendrick Bourne and the New England Patriots? That’s one of MANY questions still unanswered after New England got demolished by the Miami Dolphins 20-7 to kick off the 2022 regular season.

Bob Socci is the Voice of the New England Patriots on the 98.5 The Sports Hub Patriots Radio Network and joins Toucher & Rich for his weekly segment during the NFL season.

Rich: I just want to get your opinion on where do you think Bill has been benching Kendrick Bourne? Where do you think that stems from?

Socci: After the punch in the practices that led to his ejection, plus the ref that he was supposed to be on the field almost pulled off. I thought they were maybe signs of why he was held out, obviously from the second preseason game. And there were some things said in the last week or two from Troy Brown, for example, that indicated that they weren't necessarily pleased with either effort or performance, focused, practice, whatever it might be, because Troy said obviously he hasn't had the same kind of preseason that he had last year. Then I think I tried to catch him, make a little bit and soften them and then said we're going to play the people who deserve to play paraphrasing. So that to me was an indication that something was amiss there for Bourne.

But I thought also the fact that he'd been held out of the second preseason game and then came back for the Las Vegas Joint Practices and the Vegas game, and he certainly from afar, it wasn't a great look, but it certainly seemed during those practices that he was a guy that was one of the brighter spots for the Pats and brought some energy. I watched him yesterday in pregame warm ups specifically because, you know, he's been under the microscope. I thought he was a typical boy in south Boston around there slapping hands, trying to bring a lot of energy. But as you said, he goes in there and he makes that big play and then he comes out and it's almost immediately thereafter I turn it over.

I heard Phil's report. I think I know Phil works the beat extremely hard. He's got a lot of sources. You know, I trust Phil's going to dot his I's and cross the T's before he goes on air with something. So it is puzzling for me, particularly, like I said, because he was held out and then he came out there for the Vegas practices and the Vegas game. And maybe yesterday, like Mike said, it was just a matter of the personnel packages and his role or not role in the game plan. But he certainly made an impact when he was out there.

Wallach: Regardless of how many snaps Bourne played or didn't play. I watched that offense and I felt near the end of the first half when it was ten nothing. How are the Patriots this close? It seemed like they were losing by more. And then ultimately listening to Bill Belichick after the game was over, say something along the lines of, "well, it was a pretty even game. There were just two plays." I beg to differ. The offense once again had a lot of trouble passing with two tight ends on the field and running with three wide receivers on the field. The problems that they were stuck with during the preseason followed them to the regular season.

Socci: Well, Jon, here's the thing for me. I think that in a lot of ways, the problems from last season and the failure to get off to a good start last year and also the way they struggled down the stretch, repeated themselves yesterday, getting behind by a double digit deficit. However, Miami got there, that was a recurring thing last year. You go back to the Indianapolis game. Remember, the Patriots went in there on that Saturday night as the number one seed in the conference at the time, they gave up a touchdown in the second series, they got a punt block, another down two scores and they're chasing the entire game. And that was the story really the rest of the year except for the Jacksonville game.

Also, you know, the unforced mistakes. The offsides on a fourth and one, even though it was late in the game, was decided, a 12 defender on the field having to take a timeout in the second half before that fourth and three play after a long discussion. You know, to come out there and not be able to convert in that must have it situation. Are things that really are signs of too much of what we saw last year and even that that score at the end of that for the Dolphins just to be in position to throw that pass to waddle the play itself but also to be in that position and have a chance on the Patriots side of the 50. They didn't get the Dolphins offense off the field enough. I think the defense played well. But again, you go back to the inability in key, key moments to get off the field, because he did not in his numbers, in my opinion, in no way reflective of the kind of quarterbacking we saw yesterday. But the Dolphins win with relative ease.