Standout plays from Kayshon Boutte, Austin Hooper, DeMario Douglas help Patriots win

NASHVILLE — Judging only by the final score, one would think it was an easy victory for the Patriots on Sunday against the Titans.

But not only was the 31-13 win close in the first half, it also took some impressive plays from Patriots pass-catchers to get the job done.

It started with tight end Austin Hooper leaping over cornerback L’Jarius Sneed and reaching over his head to pick the ball out of the air while landing with two feet in the end zone for a touchdown on a perfectly placed ball from Drake Maye midway through the second quarter.

Patriots offensive linemen Garrett Bradbury and Mike Onwenu had the same reaction to the play.

“He dunked on him.”

Maye dropped it in the bucket late in the first half on a 39-yard touchdown caught by wide receiver Kayshon Boutte’s fingertips.

“There’s not too many opportunities like that, where it’s just wide open, you and the ball,” Boutte said. “So it’s kind of one of them plays you gotta make. You don’t want to come back after the game and be like, ‘Damn, I should have had that.’ No.”

Boutte also said it was an easy catch, though it looked anything but.

Wide receiver DeMario Douglas had his own highlight-reel play, catching a pass thrown behind him on fourth-and-1 from Maye with one hand.

“Some Spider-Man-ish type,” Douglas said after the game.

On the next play from scrimmage, running back Rhamondre Stevenson scored the Patriots’ third touchdown.