Patriots
“I feel everyone knows how Mac feels. All of us really feel the identical means.”
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Rex Ryan amongst ESPN analysts to reluctantly give Mac Jones ‘whole credit score’ regardless of Patriots’ loss
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Jabrill Peppers’s hit was every part a QB might ask for, and different last ideas from Patriots-Eagles
Mac Jones shouldered the blame for New England’s season-opening loss to the Eagles.
The Patriots let him throw the ball 54 occasions on Sunday, and for essentially the most half, it went nicely. He threw for 316 yards and three touchdowns in opposition to one interception.
Nevertheless, the interception proved pricey and might be thought of because the deciding issue within the recreation. Darius Slay caught a excessive go that bounced off of Kendrick Bourne’s fingertips and returned it 70 yards for Philadelphia’s first landing of the season.
The Patriots put themselves in an early gap that they didn’t have the power to climb out of. New England got here shut, with a pair of alternatives to tug forward late within the fourth quarter.
However in the long run, Jones and the Patriots got here up quick.
“They gave me the ball twice to win the sport, and I couldn’t do it,” Jones mentioned. “I’ve simply obtained to return and watch and see what I can do higher, however as a quarterback, that hurts, proper? You get an opportunity to win the sport twice and may’t do it. You’ve simply obtained to study from it. You solely get so many alternatives within the NFL to do this, and I felt like I undoubtedly let the crew down.”
Some folks, together with Patriots linebacker Matthew Judon, would argue that Jones’s evaluation of his efficiency was a bit harsh. Judon informed reporters after the sport that Jones “performed his butt off.”
Patriots coach Invoice Belichick was requested for his opinion on Jones’s postgame feedback on Monday morning throughout a convention name with reporters.
“Properly, look, I feel everyone did a whole lot of good issues within the recreation,” Belichick mentioned. “And I’m positive everyone feels the identical means that Mac does, that if we had all accomplished one or two issues a bit of bit higher, it might’ve made a distinction.”
“So, I’m positive everyone feels the identical means that Mac does,” Belichick continued. “Each participant and coach that participated within the recreation. That mentioned, there have been a whole lot of – there have been positives within the recreation that we’ve to construct on, however in the long run, any of us might have helped a bit of bit extra, and it might need made a distinction. I feel everyone knows how Mac feels. All of us really feel the identical means.”
Jones appeared to finish a go to Kayshon Boutte on a key fourth down on the ultimate drive, however Boutte was dominated out of bounds which gave Philadelphia one final possession to expire the clock.
On the drive earlier than, a fourth-down go from Jones meant for Hunter Henry fell incomplete.
However, there have been positives too. Jones hit Demario Douglas on a nook route for a giant acquire. Kendrick Bourne snagged a pair of touchdowns. Henry had a key fourth down catch earlier within the recreation to maintain a drive alive.
Jones performed nicely in New England’s opener. Statistically talking, he outplayed Jalen Hurts though Philadelphia obtained the win. Jones had extra touchdowns, extra passing yards, extra yards per completion, and had a better quarterback score than Hurts.
However, as Jones mentioned, it wasn’t sufficient to get the win.
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