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          Kendrick Bourne's TD reception gives Patriots early lead

          • Mike Reiss, ESPN Staff WriterOct 29, 2023, 05:52 PM
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              Mike Reiss is an NFL reporter at ESPN and covers the New England Patriots. Reiss has covered the Patriots since 1997 and joined ESPN in 2009. In 2019, he was named Massachusetts Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. You can follow Reiss on Twitter at @MikeReiss.
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          MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- New England Patriots receiver Kendrick Bourne arrived to Sunday's game against the Miami Dolphins wearing a bright yellow suit.

          That made him stand out among his peers before the game, then he delivered a standout play in the first quarter, hauling in a 24-yard catch-and-run touchdown from quarterback Mac Jones to spot the Patriots an early 7-0 lead.

          Bourne, who is rated 11th in ESPN's new Receiver Tracking Metrics, separated from Dolphins cornerback Justin Bethel on a third-and-4 slant, racing into the end zone untouched.

          The touchdown came after a sudden change, with safety Kyle Dugger registering an interception of Tua Tagovailoa. Dugger's last interception had also come against the Dolphins, on Jan. 1, 2023, when Teddy Bridgewater was playing quarterback.

          It marked just the second time the Patriots scored off a turnover this season. They entered the day having been outscored by 59 points off turnovers, worst in the NFL.