Patriots
“I do really feel like I’ve a variety of respect from the blokes.”
Patriots QB Mac Jones appeared on WEEI’s “Jones & Mego” present on Monday, referring to a wide range of matters — together with his teammates’ confidence in him, Jakobi Meyers, DeVante Parker’s pricey drop, and extra.
Listed here are a number of highlights from Jones’ prolonged radio interview:
Jones pushes again on speak of teammates dropping religion in him
The case could be made that the 2023 Patriots season has already been misplaced, particularly after New England dropped two-straight video games towards comparatively pedestrian opponents within the Saints and Raiders in Weeks 5 and 6.
However even earlier than New England dropped a 21-17 contest in Vegas on Sunday night, a story has been brewing relating to Jones and his standing on the high of New England’s depth chart.
After getting benched in back-to-back losses to Dallas and New Orleans, Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald noted during a radio spot with “Jones & Mego” last Friday that “no less than a number of, however in all probability many” members of the Patriots’ group had been “firmly out” on Jones as QB1.
When requested about these studies on Monday, Jones pushed again towards the assertion that he’s misplaced the belief of his teammates amid New England’s 1-5 begin to the brand new season.
“Yeah, I do,” Jones mentioned when requested if he believes his teammates nonetheless have belief in him. “I’ve a variety of respect for the blokes on our workforce. I’ve been with these guys for, a few of them, three years, and a few of them I performed with in school or whatnot. I do really feel like I’ve a variety of respect from the blokes.
“There’s a variety of issues I wish to do higher as a participant, and that’ll actually change some issues. However on the finish of the day, I’ve received to maintain working, they’ve received to maintain working, and I do know they may, identical to all of us are. I do know it sucks and it’s irritating, however on the identical time, you’ve received to maintain going ahead and see who desires to battle.”
Even when Jones hasn’t misplaced his base of help in New England’s locker room, it stays to be seen how Jones and the Patriots can proper the ship amid quite a few points relating to porous O-line play, accidents up entrance, subpar playmakers, suspect teaching, and Jones’ personal lapses so far as resolution making.
Although Jones didn’t spend a lot of the second half of Sunday’s loss to the Raiders stapled to the bench, he was nonetheless knocked for a brutal interception that resulted in one other three factors for Vegas.
Jones has now been knocked for 5 interceptions in New England’s final three losses with zero touchdowns.
“I don’t deal with that stuff,” Jones replied when requested if he’s frightened about dropping help with further losses. “I actually simply deal with displaying as much as work on daily basis, attempting to be constructive, actually simply working onerous and discovering out solutions to the check. There are a variety of issues that can pop up, and my objective is to determine how will we resolve these issues.
“It’s all about problem-solving, and we simply need to proceed to try this. Each week is totally different. Clearly, there’s a variety of issues we have to do higher.”
Coping with a “brief leash”
Callahan’s report was certainly one of many narratives hanging over Jones going into Sunday’s matchup in Sin Metropolis.
Hours earlier than kick-off at Allegiant Stadium, NFL Community’s Ian Rapoport reported that Jones was going to be on a “brief leash” towards the Raiders, particularly after back-to-back benchings.
“A poor opening few collection may probably set off one other QB to take snaps in Las Vegas,” Rapoport wrote.
In the end, Jones remained as New England’s main starter all through Sunday’s loss, with New England’s backup QB in Malik Cunningham utilized in additional of a gadget position with simply six whole snaps.
On Monday, Jones was requested if having such a brief leash and slim margin for error could make it troublesome for any QB to achieve the NFL ranks.
“Um, no,” Jones. “Simply because I don’t actually take note of that stuff. Clearly, we speak about it in interviews and reveals. For me, I simply wish to go on the market and attempt to execute a bit bit higher every week and get higher. Each week’s totally different. Some weeks you’re gonna run the ball so much or play motion so much, and a few weeks you’re going to throw and do all these issues.
“It simply is dependent upon the week and I strive to not deal with the entire feelings from the surface and actually simply deal with the workforce, as a result of I actually care concerning the workforce and I actually do have a very good relationship with a variety of the blokes. We wish to do higher. We’re attempting, we’re working, and we simply gotta proceed to try this.”
Meyers burns Patriots in Vegas
One participant who may assist Jones and the Patriots is Jakobi Meyers, who served as New England’s most reliable receiver for the earlier three seasons earlier than the workforce opted to let him stroll in free company.
Meyers, who signed with the Raiders again in March, doled out some revenge towards his former membership on Sunday, reeling in 5 catches on seven targets en path to 61 receiving yards and a landing towards New England.
Meyers is now as much as 30 catches, 335 receiving yards, and 4 touchdowns in 5 video games with Las Vegas — with the previous undrafted free agent out of NC State on tempo for profession highs in catches (85), yards (949) and touchdowns (11) along with his new workforce.
In the meantime, New England’s high two receivers in JuJu Smith-Schuster and DeVante Parker have mixed for simply 222 receiving yards and nil touchdowns to this point this season.
“I talked to Jakobi and it’s a part of the NFL, proper? I imply, there’s at all times the draft and there’s at all times free company, so it’s at all times robust to maintain all of your groups collectively,” Jones mentioned of Meyers leaving New England in free company. “However I’ve a variety of respect for Jakobi.
“Like I mentioned, he’s certainly one of my closest buddies across the NFL and he’s an excellent participant. So actually simply take pleasure in watching him and all of the stuff that he does on movie, on the sphere and and in addition off the sphere. Only a good man and all that.”
Parker’s pricey drop
On an evening the place New England got here up simply wanting a much-needed win, DeVante Parker’s brutal drop on the Patriots’ closing drive at Allegiant Stadium looms giant.
Trailing 19-17 with New England by itself 9-yard line with 1:59 left, Jones uncorked a deep ball on second-and-11 for Parker, who was unable to reel it in.
Had Parker snagged the ball, it will have given the Patriots the ball near the Raiders’ 45-yard line, and in place to run a number of extra performs to get into field-goal vary. As an alternative, New England’s offense stalled as soon as once more, with a security towards Jones sealing the win for the Raiders.
Jones was requested about Parker’s pricey drop on Monday and the way a lot it looms over yet one more failed fourth-quarter comeback for New England.
“Yeah, DP’s carried out an excellent job,” Jones mentioned. “He’s an excellent deep risk, in-cut runner and all these issues. So he did a variety of actually good issues and I’ve all the religion in him on this planet. So it’s only one little sport.
“On the finish of the day, we’re gonna hold working, get the timing down and all that stuff. So you may’t put it on one individual or one play. On the finish of the day, it’s all of us collectively. And we’re going to stay collectively, as a result of that’s what good groups do.”
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