‘He’s a fighter’: How Mac Jones saved the Eagles on the ropes because the Patriots appeared to move for catastrophe

Patriots

“We all know that Mac is a canine and his mentality is all the time going to be to battle it doesn’t matter what. So we weren’t frightened after the choose”

The Patriots appeared like they have been careening in the direction of catastrophe from the outset of their season opener when Darius Slay intercepted a Mac Jones move and ran it again 70 yards for a landing.

Ezekiel Elliott fumbled on the one play of New England’s following drive, and Philadelphia capitalized with a landing which put the Patriots in a 16-0 gap within the first quarter.

Jones and the Patriots simply may have folded after that, trailing by two scores early towards the defending NFC champion Eagles.

However, they didn’t. They gnashed their tooth, dug their cleats into the Gillette Stadium turf, and clawed their approach again into the sport.

The Patriots had a pair of possibilities to win the sport within the fourth quarter with the ball of their arms as they trailed by 5 factors. However, they fell simply in need of what would have been a powerful upset within the “Thank You Tom (Brady)” sport and began off the season with a 25-20 loss.

“Not good by me,” Jones instructed reporters after the sport. “They gave me the ball twice to win the sport and I couldn’t do it, so I simply have to return and watch and see what I’ve to do higher. However, as a quarterback, that hurts to have an opportunity to win the sport twice and also you cant do it. So that you’ve received to study from it. You solely get so many alternatives within the NFL to try this and I positively really feel like I let the group down.”

Jones ended up going 35-54 on passing makes an attempt for 316 yards and three touchdowns. The pick-6 was his solely turnover. He led the Patriots to 14 unanswered factors within the second quarter, which sliced Philadelphia’s result in two factors heading into halftime.

The third-year quarterback’s efficiency wasn’t the explanation why the Patriots misplaced, linebacker Matthew Judon stated. Quite, he performed a giant half in protecting the Patriots within the sport.

“I believe as a quarterback that’s type of how you must come up right here and discuss to (the media), however we don’t care about that,” Judon stated. “Mac went on the market and performed his butt off. It was unlucky he received a few unhealthy calls, a few penalties right here and there. However, we are able to’t put that loss on Mac. He performed his butt off.”

Whereas they didn’t get the win, the Patriots confirmed that they will preserve their cool below strain. They have been aggressive till the very finish towards among the best groups within the league, largely due to the best way Jones bounced again after the early mistake.

“He’s a fighter,” Phillips stated. “The sport goes to go like that some occasions. We would surrender just a few touchdowns they usually may need to crawl again, so it simply is what it’s. We’re all the time serving to one another. We all know that Mac is a canine and his mentality is all the time going to be to battle it doesn’t matter what. So we weren’t frightened after the choose.”

Jones unfold the ball round, hitting six completely different Patriots for 4 catches or extra. He threw a pair of landing passes to Kendrick Bourne and one other one to Hunter Henry. Henry had an spectacular one-handed catch on 4th-and-8 to maintain an important drive alive.

The Patriots had their share of shortcomings. New England received known as for a delay of sport penalty that pressured the Patriots right into a 4th and 17 scenario on their second-to-last drive. Jones was unable to finish a fourth-down move to Henry, stopping the 9-play, 36 yard drive in its tracks.

On the ultimate drive, Kayshon Boutte appeared to make a 12 yard catch on the Patriots ultimate drive that might have transformed a 4th-and-11 and put the Patriots on the Eagles’ 8 yard line. The play was dominated as an incomplete move as Boutte didn’t have each toes in-bounds.

However nonetheless, the Patriots have been proper there.

A number of Patriots stated after the sport that they received’t settle for ethical victories. However, taking part in the Eagles right down to the wire with a banged up offensive line and a comeback effort that had the Tremendous Bowl runner-ups on the ropes is a promising begin to the season.

“It’s resilience proper? And that’s all of us,” stated offensive deal with Calvin Anderson. “All of us have to have the ability to bounce again from any setback in a sport. Should you’re going to win large video games, you’ve received to have the ability to do this. Fortunately we’ve received nice management up entrance, guys that may let you know hey it’s subsequent play even whenever you get down. So, I’m appreciative of being round guys like that.”