FOXBOROUGH – Another Patriots loss. Another step toward landing one of the top picks in the 2024 draft. And another episode of Mac Jones isn’t good enough.
Lather, rinse, repeat.
With one exception this season, it’s been the same story when it comes to Jones. He’s effective, until he isn’t. And the latter usually occurs during the most critical times in games.
While Jones delivered against the Bills Week 7, he just hasn’t been able to break the pattern on a regular basis. He threw a killer pick against the Miami Dolphins last week, and while the interception he threw against the Washington Commanders Sunday wasn’t necessarily his fault, he had plenty of chances to deliver in that game and failed at every turn.
After nine weeks, he’s thrown 10 touchdown passes, and nine interceptions, the latter being among the worst in the league. His quarterback rating is 80.2, which is in Zach Wilson territory.
For quarterbacks, you are what your stat line says you are.
Translation: the Patriots need to take a quarterback in the upcoming draft, because Jones clearly isn’t the answer.
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Whether they land USC’s Caleb Williams, North Carolina’s Drake Maye, Oregon’s Bo Nix – the Patriots sit with the fifth overall pick after the loss – or someone else they want to peg their future on in a later round, it’s become increasingly obvious the Patriots need to break away from Jones.
And vice verse.
He needs to put Foxborough behind him, and start fresh somewhere else. It’s just not working for him here. Why stick around someplace that doesn’t put a premium on surrounding a quarterback with high-end talent?
After the game, Jones was asked if it’s been difficult to remain confident in the system given the lack of results.
His answer: “Yeah, it’s tough.”
That said, Jones has had is own issues.
Against the Washington Commanders, he was moving the offense toward a game-tying field goal, or possible game-winning touchdown in the closing minutes. Only, it never materialized.
The drive started well enough. Starting from the Patriots 9-yard line, Jones was able to advance the ball to the Commanders 41-yard-line with passes to Hunter Henry, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Rhamondre Stevenson. He was facing a 2nd-and-8 with 38 seconds to go.
After making his reads, Jones decided Smith-Schuster was his best option, and fired a pass that deflected off the receiver, into the awaiting hands of Washington’s Jartavius Martin.
It wasn’t necessarily Jones’ fault. Smith-Schuster fell on the sword and took the blame. And rightfully so. Jones needed to thread the ball into a tight window, and the pass was there, only it went off Smith-Schuster’s hands.
That said, was that the best option in that situation? Throwing into a tight window? Perhaps not.
“I just went through my reads and fired it in there. It was just a bang-bang play,” Jones said after the loss. “Obviously when you lose the game, it’s frustrating. It’s not on one person or one player at all. Like I said, JuJu made some great plays. We’re all in it together. I can throw a better ball, protect him a little bit more, all that stuff. I’ll watch the film, like I said, see what I can do to fix my part.”
The point here is the Patriots didn’t have to be in that do-or-die situation. After the Commanders took the lead to make it 20-17, the Pats punted four times, before the game-ending interception. All of the failed drives beforehand are hard to ignore.
“Had a chance there at the end, couldn’t make enough plays,” said Patriots coach Bill Belichick. “Obviously, had plenty of opportunities along the way that we needed to make more out of. Just disappointing result. Just got to do a better job of making the plays when we have the opportunties to make ‘em. It’s as simple as that.”
Case in point, Jones and the offense converted just three-of-12 third down attempts (25%). That’s not going to win many ball games.
On their very first possession, Jones was moving the ball nicely, but overthrew a wide open Tyquan Thornton on a third down play that might have gone for a big gain. Those type of plays have been prevalent all year. He also continues to make throws off his back foot in key situations that have little to no chance of completion.
Jones finished 24 for 44 for 220 yards with a touchdown – a perfectly thrown ball to Henry in the end zone – and the interception.
As mentioned, he is not armed with elite talent in his arsenal. And protection has also been an issue. Those are all valid obstacles.
But the really good quarterbacks tend to find a way with the hand they’re dealt. They’re able to lift the people around them.
Jones hasn’t been able to do that, and the evidence continues to suggest he’s not capable of doing that. While there’s plenty of blame to go around for why the Patriots are so bad, in some ways, that’s what 2-7 tells you – the quarterback doesn’t cut it.
With the Patriots unable to beat the good teams, along with the teams they’re supposed to have a decent shot at beating, that’s the perfect cover for winding up with one of the top picks in the draft.
If they somehow land with one of the first two picks, selecting a quarterback is a no-brainer. And even if they don’t get one of the coveted spots up top, they still need to invest in the position.
That’s what Jones’ performance has told the Patriots after nine weeks. It’s Year 3, and he still hasn’t convinced anyone that he’s the future.
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