New England Patriots receiver Damiere Byrd didn’t show much satisfaction in logging six catches, 132 yards and a touchdown in Week 11. It was his career-high in receiving yards. But the Houston Texans’ 27-20 win put a damper on Byrd’s individual success.
He was asked how he balances the disappointment of a loss and the pleasure of a huge game in the box score.
“It’s not really a balance,” Byrd told reporters Sunday after the game. “We lost the game. That’s really what I’m out there to play for. To win. If I had zero catches, if I had 15, it would still be a bad one for me.”
Patriots WR Damiere Byrd, a bright spot, recorded his first career 100-yard receiving game (6 for 132, TD).
Asked how he balances a loss and solid individual effort, he said: “It’s not really a balance. We lost the game. That’s really what I’m out there to play for. To win.” pic.twitter.com/RZaxUfCd0A
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) November 22, 2020
It’s the kind of answer Bill Belichick surely loves hearing.
Byrd’s season has been extremely up and down. He has played just about every snap during the season, and yet he’s had games where he recorded zero catches. That’s what happened in Week 1 and Week 10.
And then there’s this performance: a career-best which featured Cam Newton’s first touchdown pass to a Patriots receiver in 2020. And it was a highlight reel catch, with Byrd beating coverage for a 44-yard reception.
“Cam (Newton) made a great read and a great throw and I just tried to shield off the defender,” Byrd said of his touchdown.
Byrd is playing on a one-year contract, and will enter free agency in 2020. He’s one of the many players whose futures with the team are uncertain, but his performance may increase New England’s interest in retaining him.
“Damiere is doing exactly what he’s done all year,” Newton said postgame.
