Mac Jones underwhelmed on third-and-21 in the fourth quarter against the Tennessee Titans. He dropped off a short pass to receiver Jakobi Meyers for seven yards. It was a perfectly forgettable play, one that won’t make any highlight reels.
The Patriots had just intercepted quarterback Ryan Tannehill and were leading 13 points. A touchdown would end it. A field goal kept it a two-possession game — albeit two series which would have to end in a touchdown and a 2-point conversion. Josh McDaniels was pleased, however. He was happy to see Jones and the Patriots come away with a field goal.
“We had the one sack on the fringe in the fourth quarter,” McDaniels said on Tuesday during a conference call. “And it’s third-and-[21]. We need a handful of yards to get back into field-goal range, and he makes a decent decision, completes the ball underneath to Jakobi [Meyers]. We get it into field-goal range. Nick [Folk] capitalizes on it, and makes the kick.
“Ultimately the possession wasn’t exactly what we wanted, but there was some positive there because he’s understanding the scenario that he’s in, and he helped us actually win the situation, if you will, because third-and-20-somethings are hard to overcome.”
Jones knows himself well. He knows the offense well. And he knows his opponent. The decision to check down to Meyers wasn’t a crowd-pleaser. But the play put the Patriots in a position to score three points and keep momentum on their side. Had he been more aggressive — holding onto the ball and pushing it downfield — he could have turned the ball over, something that would wipe away points and provide a scoring opportunity for the Titans.
With the Patriots having so much success running the football and generating takeaways on defense, Jones can settle for plays like his seven-yard gainer to Meyers on third-and-long. He is supposed to settle for those plays. Jones may not wow with deep throws. But he’s doing his job, which is all Bill Belichick asks — and wants — of his players.
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