The New England Patriots did not get off to the best of starts, coming up short in their season opener against the Miami Dolphins, 20-7, amid a myriad of offensive struggles. Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne, an integral part of their offense last season was nowhere to be found except for two snaps, and the Patriots struggled to score at Hard Rock Stadium. Both Patriots fans and Bourne will be wondering where in the world he was. But quarterback Mac Jones is not worried about Bourne and the state of the Patriots offense.

In Mac Jones' Monday press conference, he had some encouraging words for Bourne as to how he can deal with the different role he's been given this season by head coach Bill Belichick.

“[Kendrick Bourne] has to control what he can control and when he gets the chance to play or practice, just like we all do, we have to try and do our best that we can. He just has to continue to be himself,” Jones said. “ He’s done a good job. He’s a great teammate, and we have a lot of guys on our team like that.”

If there's anyone who knows what Bourne is capable of, it's Jones, as Bourne tallied 55 receptions for 800 yards and 5 touchdowns after being acquired by the Patriots last season. The two also connected on a 41-yard pass in the Dolphins loss. The 24-year old sophomore Jones, who was a rookie Pro Bowler, hopes Bourne can maintain a good mindset, as the team will rely on him as the season goes on.

“I hope he can contribute more, and he will, and his time will come. Like I always say, the plays will come, don’t chase them. He’ll get a chance and when he does, I have confidence in him. He’s a great route runner, great competitor. He’s just got to do what he’s doing and continue to see his role increase,” Jones added.

Mac Jones, Kendrick Bourne, and the Patriots will look to bounce back against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Week 2, and one subplot to watch out for will be the state of Bourne's role within the team's offense.