For the past two years, there has been controversy whether or not Mac Jones is the quarterback of the future for New England. After a successful rookie season in 2021, The Patriots and Mac have regressed by a huge margin. Could it be that Mac’s potential has reached a plateau, or are there other factors to blame for the lack of success?
Because of their rough first half of the season, Patriots fans are playing the blame game, and Mac Jones is winning it. The beginning of his season has been poor, throwing for 10 touchdowns to 10 interceptions on 65% pass completion. Compared to other quarterbacks across the league, Jones is nowhere near their standards, which results in various reports showing him at 20th in quarterback rankings.
Recently, after repetitive poor performances, Jones appears to be going backwards in the depth chart, as others in the Patriots quarterback room are being evaluated more, such as Bailey Zappe, or Malik Cunningham. NFL quarterbacks are mainly responsible for reading a defense, and basing their decisions on what their opposition does. Many in the league are capable of doing this, however it appears that Jones isn’t.
Because of his lack of mobility, and questionable defensive reads. Jones isn’t able to keep plays alive, which results in either a sack, or a rushed throw with a high chance of an interception. Recently, Jones’s poor decision making led to a deflating loss in Germany as the Colts defeated the Patriots 10-6, where Mac Jones was taken out for the last offensive drive of the game for Bailey Zappe. Sure, it’s normal for a starting quarterback to be taken out during a blowout by either side. Although with two minutes left, in a one score game, it only can mean that Mac Jones wasn’t the best option for the team when it came down to winning the game. It seems like at this point with less than half the season to go, the organization and fans are hoping for a different way of business. Knowing head coach Bill Belichick, he is going to use this bye week to assess, and evaluate what is necessary for the Patriots to end the season off on a good note. After this week, it won’t be surprising to see Mac Jones looking on from the sidelines.
A quarterback in the NFL must have a strong arm to knife passes in between defenders. Because of the lack of this skill, Mac Jones relies on floating the ball with less power, which results in breakups or interceptions. Because of this, the New England playbook becomes restricted, and limits the team’s ability to drive down the field.
Finally, due to his lack of quarterback skills, Jones’ confidence has dwindled, another reason why the Patriots are 10-17 in the last two years. With thousands of Patriots fans wanting a quarterback change, along with a lack of offensive power, Jones will have a tough time getting back into the playoffs.
Julian Edelman, a former Patriot wide receiver, agrees, stating in a CBS article published on November 17, 2023, “It’s just been tough for Mac to execute in high-pressure situations and it comes down to his confidence.” He even mentions that Jones has lost his confidence, “and once you lose your confidence in this league, it’s tough.”
With everything going on with how the season is progressing, Mac hasn’t had it easy, the protection for the offense has been one of the worst in the league and his highest-paid receivers have been underperforming all year. All of this leaves New England with the question if the system is leaving him out to dry, or is Mac Jones simply not the answer? Right now, it seems to be mainly the second question.
