The reasons have run dry for Mac Jones

Patriots

Mac Jones has gone from a promising rookie season to there being critical query marks as as to if he is the Patriots’ long-term QB.

COMMENTARY

The Macscuses are getting exhausting. 

No quarterback can have success within the NFL with a porous offensive line and receivers who can’t separate. Present me a profitable quarterback and not using a No. 1 possibility earlier than lambasting Mac Jones. Dangerous teaching. Matt Patricia. Moist summer season. Bailey Zappe’s voodoo assortment.

Within the aftermath of Sunday’s 38-3 loss in Dallas, a sport that multiple native pundit known as a “franchise-altering loss” for the New England Patriots, there aren’t an entire lot of Mac Backers with many positives or “whataboutisms” concerning the quarterback’s efficiency.

Jones, who seemed good on the Patriots’ promising first drive of the sport, accomplished solely 12 passes on the afternoon, tossed two interceptions (one a pick-six), and invited the Dallas protection to complete up the news and rating ball he kindly offered them. Jones made selections on the soccer discipline Sunday that they attempt to drown out of a quarterback’s head in pee-wee. Like throwing throughout your physique, to the opposite aspect of the sphere, an imbecilic determination, however one he was in a position to get away with. As soon as. 

The second time he did it, nonetheless (on the identical collection), the consequence was extra predictable. Daron Bland snatched the move away from supposed goal Kendrick Bourne and ran it into the tip zone for a 28-3 Cowboys lead. (Some of us on the app previously referred to as Twitter had a ball posting that rating Sunday afternoon, albeit with none Belichick/OJ memes. These may be going away for some time, children.) 

Jones completed the day with a 39.9 quarterback score, his worst since a 15.6 score in opposition to the Dolphins in his rookie season. Belichick pulled him within the second half in favor of Zappe, and all people solely puzzled what took him so lengthy to take action. The coach should wait no less than one other week to affix George Halas and Don Shula as the one NFL coaches with 300 profession regular-season victories, however do you actually give a flying foot joke when the franchise he’s in command of is falling right into a disrepair that’s going to take years of refurbishment? For what, a banner? Just like the “18-1” one? Candy. That’ll be price it. 

That is the place the workforce that claims six Lombardi trophies finds itself, with a 1-3 report that claims little greater than it might probably (barely) beat the Jets. Every little thing in Foxborough is a reminder of the previous for a workforce that appears more and more clueless about what its future would possibly resemble. Simply have a look at the way in which this 12 months’s workforce was constructed — paying no consideration to the holes on the offensive line, buying damaged items in JuJu Smith-Schuster as a result of it represented the very best “deal.” Does something about it counsel there’s a cohesive plan by any means? 

For higher or worse (largely the latter), it’s been a dysfunctional introduction to the NFL for Jones, who regardless of having a farcical Professional Bowl choice to his title, has accomplished little to assist the Patriots imagine he’s the best quarterback for the job over the lengthy haul. Jones has gone from a promising rookie season to creating a whole business we by no means thought doable: Matt Patricia Apology Playing cards. 

So caught up within the Mac Jones Excuse Caravan have been we that we did not even surprise if the complication would possibly lie within the place, not the overmatched boob attempting to make it look presentable. We have been too busy busting on the folks round him, blaming them for failing to present Mac Jones the instruments he must succeed as a substitute of realizing what’s grow to be evident now; the issue could also be Mac himself. 

It was exhausting to come back out of Sunday considering something however. 

“It wasn’t an important day,” Jones mentioned. “I’m not going to let it carry over to subsequent week. It’s going to be accomplished after I watch the movie.” 

We’ll see. For Jones’s sake, it had higher be. 

This weekend in opposition to the New Orleans Saints represents his closing stand. I’m not as within the quarterback that helped result in the debacle in Dallas; I’m extra interested in how that man responds one week later. How does a first-round draft choose really feel after getting yanked from a nationwide Sport of the Week? What we see out of Jones on Sunday would possibly decide every little thing we should always count on out of the participant long-term. If he comes out blazing and provides you purpose to imagine in opposition to the Saints, be happy to hold onto that fading religion. 

If he turtles and wilts but once more, Patriot followers can rightfully begin speaking about the place they will get their subsequent franchise quarterback within the 2024 draft. And the boos at Gillette may be majestic come round 4 p.m. Sunday afternoon.

No extra Macscuses. 

“I’ve received to place a greater product on the market to beat good groups,” Jones mentioned, disregarding the truth that his efficiency Sunday wouldn’t have overwhelmed the worst workforce in soccer. By no means thoughts the nice ones. 

The reasons finish there. This Sunday has now grow to be the defining sport of Mac Jones’s younger NFL profession. If he responds positively, then let’s hold speaking. The workforce wants to select up or decline Mac’s fifth-year possibility by Could, which suggests they’re operating out of time with a purpose to keep away from it turning right into a Daniel Jones scenario ($160 million owed over 4 years).

If he gags, then begin shopping for draft magazines. 

“I’m undoubtedly dissatisfied,” Jones mentioned, “however on the finish of the day, I’m going to maintain grinding.” 

The 1-3 Patriots return to Gillette to face the 2-2 Saints Sunday. Jones will probably be grinding in a stadium the place the reasons have run dry.