What Brandon Bolden said after scoring in his 3rd straight game
The running back received multiple goal-line carries in Thursday night's win over the Giants.
In his first six seasons with the Patriots, Brandon Bolden reached the three-touchdown mark in a season just once. Six games into the 2019 campaign, the running back has already matched that total.
Bolden plunged in from one yard out during the second quarter of Thursday night’s win over the New York Giants, marking the third game in a row he has scored a touchdown.
With running back Rex Burkhead missing his second straight game with an injury, Bolden finished the game with three carries for 23 yards, highlighted by a long run of 21 yards, plus a pair of catches for 22 yards. The Patriots even used Bolden as the goal-line back over 2018 first-round pick Sony Michel in the second quarter.
I have to say, it’s not the greatest sign when you’re using Brandon Bolden as your short-yardage back over the 2018 first-round pick.
— Doug Kyed (@DougKyed) October 11, 2019
Here’s what Bolden said postgame about his increased workload.
“I’m just trying to take advantage of every opportunity I get,” Bolden told reporters. “The offense trusts me enough to throw me in there, so I’m just trying to do my job the best I can.”
In a Week 4 win at Buffalo, Bolden scored on an end-around from the 4-yard line. Last week in Washington, he hauled in a 29-yard touchdown pass from Tom Brady on a wheel route.
Bolden (five touches on Thursday) is still behind Michel (24 touches) and James White (11 touches) on the depth chart, and it remains to be seen what his offensive workload will look like when Burkhead returns. But the eight-year pro earned the praise of Patriots coach Bill Belichick during Thursday’s postgame press conference.
“Yeah, Brandon is a talented guy,” Belichick said. “He can play on all four downs and play well. We’re very fortunate to have him. He gives us great depth and is just another good football player to put on the field.”
Bolden was a viable special teams player with the Patriots from 2012-2017. Ater playing the 2018 season with Miami Dolphins, he displayed his versatility Thursday night when he blocked Riley Dixon’s punt in the first quarter, setting up Chase Winovich’s touchdown.
https://twitter.com/Patriots/status/1182462143112851456?s=20
“I’m just out there doing what they call on me to do,” Bolden said. “If it’s out there to rush the punt, I’m going to rush it. If it’s out there to catch a pass, I’m going to do the best I can to catch it. If it’s out there to run the ball, I’m going to put my head down and try to get some yards.”
