The New England Patriots may have lost to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 1 to open their 2023 campaign, but there were a lot of positives that could be taken away from the game. Chief among them was the play of wide receiver Kendrick Bourne (6 REC, 64 YDS, 2 TD), who paced the Patriots receiving corps on a strong day of work at the office.

Bourne's tenure with New England has been somewhat confusing. He enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2021 (55 REC, 800 YDS, 5 TD), but was stuck in Matt Patricia's doghouse for much of the 2022 campaign, and took a big step backwards (35 REC, 434 YDS, 1 TD). Much of this was due to Patricia's incompetence, but Bourne didn't do himself any favors last season.

Heading into the third and final year of his contract, it's been clear that this is a make-or-break season for Bourne, and well, he got off to a great start in Week 1. But in order for the Patriots to continue delivering on the field, Bourne is going to have to keep making big plays, and in a sense, he's going to be the team's biggest X-factor throughout the entire season.

Why Kendrick Bourne is so important to the Patriots offense

The Patriots wide receiver corps was the subject of much attention throughout the offseason, but they didn't really do a whole lot to address the position. They made a run at DeAndre Hopkins, but he ended up signing with the Tennessee Titans, so the only real moves they made at the position was to replace Jakobi Meyers with JuJu Smith-Schuster and add Demario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte in the sixth-round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

But in another way, the Patriots managed to get Bourne back after his strange 2022 campaign. From the second he reported to camp last year, things seemed off with Bourne, and that resulted in him seeing the field sparingly. When he was actually playing, Bourne was making stuff happen, but he was continually given a smaller role for no apparent reason.

Bourne is back in 2023, though, and Week 1 proved as much. With DeVante Parker missing the game due to a knee injury, Smith-Schuster playing far less than expected down the stretch, and Tyquan Thornton starting the season on the injured reserve, that thrust Bourne into the spotlight, and he delivered against one of the toughest defenses in the league.

Mac Jones has a great rapport with Bourne, and his ability to create separation down the field is precisely what the offense was missing last season. Meyers could get open underneath, but Parker isn't a guy who creates space for himself on deep plays. With Bourne back in the fold, everything opens up for New England.

As the season progresses, it seems like Bourne may be the key to offensive success for the Patriots. There isn't a receiver who can consistently make big plays for the offense like he can, and his relationship with Jones is one that helps make life easier for the third-year shotcaller, which is the main goal of the 2023 season after his moribound 2022 campaign.

Bourne should get some help alongside him over the next few weeks. Parker could end up taking the field in Week 2, and Smith-Schuster will hopefully be on the field more to allow New England to use their preferred top trio of Bourne, Parker, and Smith-Schuster as much as possible. Douglas and Boutte have upside, but they didn't really belong on the field on New England's final offensive drive that saw them trying to score a game-winning touchdown.

While you can only look into one game so much, it's becoming more and more clear that Bourne was the missing piece in New England's offense last year. Adding a true number one receiver would have been nice, but getting a guy back who already has chemistry with Jones, without having to actually make a move to get him back, is priceless.

Succeeding against a talented Eagles defense is something that cannot just be brushed aside. Sure, Philly wasn't playing at the peak of their powers in Week 1, but Jones threw for 300+ yards against a team that very nearly won the Super Bowl last year. Without Bourne, who also hauled in two of Jones' three touchdowns, this game probably isn't close.

Bourne's ability to do a little bit of everything gives New England options on offense they didn't have last year, and the results were pretty solid in Week 1. There will be games where the offense goes through lulls, but that's bound to happen over the course of the season. If Kendrick Bourne can remain productive for the Patriots, they should continue to find success on the offensive side of the ball throughout the 2023 campaign.