“We took advantage of lazy cornerback play, lazy safety play, and [it was] just a big play.”

The Patriots’ pass-catchers certainly enjoyed a strong performance in Tennessee on Sunday in the 31-13 win.

They hauled in 22 out of 24 targets, making big play after big play against the Titans’ defenders. Kayshon Boutte had the longest play of the bunch, a 39-yard touchdown catch on a deep ball from Drake Maye.

After the game, the Patriots’ receiver did not hold back on how he felt about the effort that the Titans secondary put in on his big play.

““It felt good, something we worked on all week. Big throw. Big catch,” Boutte said. “We took advantage of lazy cornerback play, lazy safety play, and [it was] just a big play.”

Boutte sprinted past two Titans defenders on the play and found himself wide open in the end zone. Maye hit him in stride, and Boutte hung on as his momentum carried him stumbling over the line for the score.

“There are not too many opportunities like that where it’s just wide open, you and the ball,” Boutte said. “It’s one of those plays you’ve got to make. You don’t want to come back after the game and be like, ‘Damn, I should’ve had that.’”

Boutte’s catch came with 49 seconds remaining in the first half. The Patriots were trailing by three points, but were able to head into the locker room with a four-point lead after the catch. Head coach Mike Vrabel said the timing of the catch was “very important.”

New England ended the first half with a scoring drive and opened the second half with a scoring drive after Rhamondre Stevenson rumbled in for a four-yard touchdown run with 7:31 remaining in the third quarter.

“Ending with the football in our hands, defensively it was good that we didn’t give up anything cheap there with 45 seconds,” Vrabel said. “Great job of taking a shot and having it be there and Drake putting a great ball, Kayshon [Boutte] making a hell of a catch there to secure it and getting both feet in. Any time you can do that and double them up, a lot of positives involved.”