Patriots win third straight game thanks to Kayshon Boutte's big day

NEW ORLEANS -- When wide receiver Stefon Diggs made his mode to the locker country aft the New England Patriots' 25-19 win against the New Orleans Saints, helium clapped his hands and noted the rotation the squad is connected by saying, "That's 3 successful a row!"

Then, earlier boarding the squad bus, Diggs was 1 of the past remaining players successful the locker country and already looking up to Sunday's roadworthy crippled against the Tennessee Titans.

"We'll bask this for 12 hours and past we person a large 1 adjacent week," Diggs said.

Why truthful big?

"People are going home, I guess," helium said with a interaction of humor.

Diggs' notation to manager Mike Vrabel bringing the Patriots (4-2) to Tennessee, wherever helium served arsenic caput manager from 2018 to 2023, highlights what volition beryllium a apical storyline successful the days to come.

"That's 3 successful a row," Stefon Diggs says arsenic helium returns to the locker country clapping his hands. pic.twitter.com/shbJj0dW2S

The "homecoming" taxable has been prevalent for the surging Patriots successful caller weeks, arsenic this marks the archetypal clip the squad has won 3 successful a enactment since 2022.

In a Week 5 triumph against the Buffalo Bills, it was Diggs' instrumentality to Western New York -- and his stellar show in a prime-time upset -- that generated headlines.

And successful Sunday's roadworthy triumph implicit the Saints, it was Louisiana-born and erstwhile Louisiana State receiver Kayshon Boutte rising up with a clutch show that included a team-high 5 catches for 93 yards and 2 touchdowns (deep shots of 25 and 29 yards). Boutte became the archetypal Patriots subordinate to people aggregate touchdowns of 25 oregon much yards successful a crippled since Phillip Dorsett II successful 2019.

"Something astir going home, I deliberation guys consciousness comfy backmost astatine the crib," Diggs said.

The Patriots won contempt a show that included "a batch to cleanable up," according to Vrabel. A deficiency of moving crippled (73 yards connected 31 attempts), 11 penalties and shaky walk defence astatine times were among the superior struggles. But erstwhile they needed a play to adjacent it out, Boutte delivered.

He capped disconnected his time by making a 21-yard drawback from backmost Drake Maye connected third-and-11 earlier the two-minute warning, which allowed the Patriots to kneel connected the shot for the win. It was a contested drawback connected an retired way that helium converted to a fade. Saints cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry was glued to his hip, and Boutte turned to haul successful the back-shoulder propulsion on the near sideline and helium landed successful bounds with a thud.

"What a play by Boutte," said Maye, who finished 18-of-26 for 261 yards with 3 touchdowns and a 92.6 QBR. "It felt close being backmost location for him."

The 5-foot-11, 197-pound Boutte, who joined starting near tackle and chap Louisiana autochthonal Will Campbell successful returning home, had 40 household members and friends astatine the crippled for whom helium purchased tickets. He called it an "emotional ...