Quarterback Mac Jones played efficient and effective football through most of a seven-game winning streak that lifted the Patriots into first place in the AFC East, but the last two weeks have not been as sharp.
Jones has gone 40-of-77 for 444 yards, two touchdowns, and four interceptions in back-to-back losses that have knocked the Patriots back down behind the Bills with two weeks left in the regular season. The downturn in production led to a question for offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels about whether Jones is hitting the so-called rookie wall as the NFL season moves beyond the number of games he played in a year at Alabama.
“He’s doing fine,” McDaniels said, via Steve Hewitt of the Boston Herald. “No concern on that. Each rookie kind of handles that differently. There’s always a stretch during the course of the middle of the season that’s a little bit new to him, because when you count the preseason games, preseason work, starting in July, usually that happens somewhere towards the end of October, middle of November, somewhere in there. But he’s gotten through that. He understands what he needs to do. He does a great job with his regimen, takes care of his body, his preparation. He’s learned how to manage his time and what he needs to allocate it towards, and I think that’s a really important thing for a young player.”
It may not be a rookie wall, but teams have a longer book on Jones now than they did early in the season and the last couple of weeks have seen the Bills and Colts force him into the kind of mistakes he had been avoiding. The Patriots and Jones will have to make their own adjustments as they work to get back on track before the playoffs. Sunday’s game against the Jaguars should provide a good opportunity to work on those changes.
His mechanics look off right now for whatever reason. They don’t look the same as they did earlier in the year. I don’t know if it’s an injury we don’t know about or a “rookie wall” but he’ll come back stronger and better next tear. Future is bright at the position.
The MJ10 trademark thing was dumb though. First don’t be like Tampa Tammy he is insufferable enough. And there’s only one MJ and you’re not it. He’s a kid he’ll learn. 🙂
Average mac more like it. Should have tanked for Tua when they had the chance.
He’s doing fine for a rookie QB. I don’t know why people have all these expectations for him to go to the Superbowl. No rookie QB has ever led his team to a SB. Even when Brady won his first SB, it was his second year.
Mac Jones is a Rookie QB in Belichick’s system. It takes time to develope as an NFL QB. Teams now have film on Jones and his tendencies. It is completely unfair to dub a Rookie QB, ” The next Tom Brady ” just because he wears the same color uniform that Brady wore. Jones, Belichick and McDaniels have done a great job putting the Patriots contention for a playoff spot as quickly as they have. Instead of comparing Jones to Brady, compare him to Tony Eason, Hugh Millen, Tommy Hodson or Scott Zolak. Time will tell if Jones becomes a Top Tier NFL QB. There will be some ups and downs along the way.
Rome wasn’t built in a day. Or a year. Be patient, and don’t expect another Tom Brady.
It seems to be in the nature of these press conferences that the journalists compete to see who can jump to the extreme quickest. One or two good performances and they jump to Rookie of the Year and comparisons to Tom Brady. One or two not-so-good performances and it’s “the rookie wall” kind of stuff. Fans are more realistic. We’re pleasantly surprised with the speed of the rebuild and Mac Jones’s performance. Hopeful for the rest of the season and the playoffs, and looking forward to how the team and Jones progress in 2022.
Two key pieces of the Patriot offense have been missing from their offenses of the past. A good third down back, and a good slot receiver. James White was injured early on, and the Troy Brown/Wes Welker/Julian Edelman string of quick change of direction, YAC slot receivers has been broken.
He was never playing amazingly to begin with, just that his team was winning and the other rookie qbs have been pretty bad comparatively speaking. He’s been overhyped by some but he’s delivering a decent rookie year and could be setting up a big leap in 2022.
Jones will be a fine QB. The question is this..After seeing the human Abrams tank that a young and still developing monster Josh Allen presents, will that be enough? 20 years of that guy in your division? Yikes…
People generally arent concerned with things that have already happened…
Jones is busy sliding face first down the wall as we speak.
He’s definitely hit a mini slump, but he’s not alone, the defense hasn’t been as sharp either and their competition has been better too with BUF and IND. You of course want to be playing your best against other potential playoff teams towards the end of the year but he’s still impressed me. Need to cut down on turnovers, but that’s what happens when forced to score more. Having the RB tandem banged up, each missing one of those games didn’t help.
Need to finish strong in the last couple weeks. As with many Patriots seasons of years past, a meaningful MIA matchup awaits. Gotta take of JAX first though
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