In an important Year 3 for Mac Jones, the Patriots quarterback hasn’t given New England or its fans a lot of reason to be confident in him. He’s been criticized for his “sloppy” footwork and arm strength, and Jones was even benched for Bailey Zappe in the Patriots’ Week 4 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
Jones had a strong camp and said all the right things about being prepared for the 2023 season and being ready to move on from an ugly 2022. But it hasn’t quite translated to the regular season.
Coach Bill Belichick will have some decisions to make if Jones can’t find a groove, and one analyst pinpointed what Jones has to show the Patriots if he wants to keep his job under center.
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“The team does wanna see more growth from Mac Jones right now. Bailey Zappe, as a result, did get more practice reps this week,” Jay Glazer said on FOX on Sunday. “And they’re in a position right now where they’re saying, ‘We need to see more of Mac Jones. We’re not looking to pull him, but man he’s gotta start showing us growth if he’s going to hold on to this job.’”
Things didn’t start off all that great for Jones on Sunday when the Patriots hosted a banged-up Derek Carr and the New Orleans Saints. He threw his second pick-six in as many weeks. It marked the fourth pick-six Jones threw at Gillette Stadium in his career, matching Tom Brady’s total of his 23-year run in the NFL.
The Patriots went into halftime down 21-0 and were booed by those in attendance as they were heading to the locker room. Jones completed eight of his 15 passes for 72 yards.
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While Jones isn’t the only problem the Patriots have this year, he’s certainly a big part of the struggles. And it’s unclear how long New England will commit to the Alabama product if he continues slipping down the slope. But there was probably a reason Zappe saw increased reps in practice over the last week.
