Belief is a powerful tool for a quarterback.
And for Mac Jones, by virtue of his performance against the Buffalo Bills, leading a game-winning drive to secure a comeback win over their division rival, it served as a win-win for the Patriots quarterback.
From Jabrill Peppers, to Joe Cardona, to Mike Gesicki, to Deatrich Wise, to Matthew Slater, judging by the succession of players who came up to Jones on the field after the game to enthusiastically hug, high-five or slap hands with him, that performance really moved the needle.
Having Jones finally deliver in the clutch gained him some currency and credibility with his teammates in the locker room.
Solomon Wilcots, a former NFL defensive back and current host of SiriusXM NFL’s “The Opening Drive” put it in perspective. During MassLive’s latest “Eye on Foxborough” podcast, Wilcots talked about how much that final 8-play, 75-yard scoring drive fostered a belief in the quarterback that will carry over.
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“You might say they were staring into the abyss. If he throws an interception on that drive, now we’re going back looking at recent weeks where he’s had these consistent weeks of turning the ball over at critical moments,” said Wilcots. “He was pulled out of the game for Bailey Zappe in consecutive weeks. Those questions or going to go up to another level. Everything’s going to ratchet up (if he messes up again).
“But on that drive, there’s no doubt about it. That’s our game. Our game is about results. It’s not about the hyperbole, the what ifs,” Wilcots went on. “Because, if you do it, that’s what people believe in. If you don’t do it, they’re not going to believe in you.”
Prior to engineering two scoring drives in the fourth quarter against the Bills, including the game-winner, Jones had yet to author a signature moment where he pulled the team out of certain defeat.
This season alone, he couldn’t deliver against the Eagles late. He couldn’t deliver against the Dolphins, or Raiders in close games. He was yanked from back-to-back games against Dallas and New Orleans, committing six turnovers in those game, and there was plenty of opinions waged that the Patriots needed to do away with Jones, and draft another quarterback in the 2024 NFL draft.
There were also reports that the players faith in Jones was wavering in the locker room.
“You might say some of the hot air was coming out of that balloon. Some of the faith and the confidence (waned) around him,” said Wilcots. “I can’t speak for the team, I can’t speak for the players, but I can guarantee you with that kind of drive, there’s more of a belief today surrounding Mac Jones, then there was going into that game against the Buffalo Bills. Because it’s about getting it done, and doing it. And boy, did he ever. I would say that’s one of the biggest drives so far of his young career.”
One that’s bought some much-needed buy-in and belief in the third-year quarterback.
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