DeMario Douglas' first NFL game in London didn't exactly go as planned.
The Patriots' second-year wide receiver caught just two passes for 14 yards in New England's 32-16 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday in a disappointing performance after he tallied a career-high 92 yards against the Houston Texans in Week 6.
As it turns out, Douglas was battling an illness that forced him off the field midway through the game.
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The 23-year-old woke up Sunday morning feeling sick and took anti-nausea medication as well as an IV prior to the game, per NFL Media's Ian Rapoport. After the game, Douglas told the Boston Herald's Andrew Callahan he had been "been vomiting all day" and "couldnāt stand up at times or focus," adding that his illness got "worse throughout the day."
The Patriots ruled Douglas as questionable to return early in the third quarter, and he didn't play a snap in the second half.
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It's unclear what exactly caused Douglas' illness, but it's a tough break for the young wideout, who emerged as Drake Maye's favorite target in Week 6 and seemed to be developing a strong rapport with his rookie QB.
āPop, you canāt guard him in a phone booth,ā Maye told reporters of Douglas earlier in the week. āHeās tough to guard in man coverage and heās got the knack for finding the zone. Heās a great, great guy to have out there. Makes my job a little easier."
With Douglas limited, Maye turned to veteran tight end Hunter Henry, who led the Patriots with eight catches for 92 yards. But aside from K.J. Osborn's 22-yard touchdown reception, New England got almost no production out of its wide receivers, as rookie Ja'Lynn Polk continued to struggle with zero catches on three targets.
Maye and the Patriots' offense need all the help they can get -- especially considering New England's defense has allowed 73 points combined in the last two games -- so they'll be hoping Douglas is at 100 percent for next Sunday's matchup with the New York Jets.
