Category: Mac Jones

Patriots QB Mac Jones comments on Josh McDaniels being fired by Raiders

Mac Jones responded to a question regarding the Josh McDaniels firing in Las Vegas.

New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones had positive things to say about Josh McDaniels, as questions surrounding a possible Patriots-McDaniels reunion are beginning to swirl.

Jones overlapped with McDaniels during his rookie season in 2021. He had his best year as an NFL quarterback, throwing for 3,801 yards, 22 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.

Together, the two helped New England go 10-7 on the season and reach the playoffs. The first-round playoff matchup against the Buffalo Bills was the team’s last playoff game to this point.

Now, both are struggling.

McDaniels was fired by the Las Vegas Raiders on Tuesday night. Jones is in the middle of a season that has seen him play inconsistently. He has nine touchdowns and eight interceptions on the year. When commenting on McDaniels’ firing, Jones expressed his appreciation for his former offensive coordinator and quarterback coach.

“I have a lot of respect for Josh and his family,” said Jones. “…I have a great relationship with him.”

It’s unclear whether McDaniels will reunite with the Patriots organization. At the very least, it might be wise for the team to give him a call considering the last bit of offensive success they had came under his watch.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Former Defensive Player of the Year believes Patriots failed Mac Jones

Stephon Gilmore believes the Patriots organization is more to blame for the offensive struggles than Mac Jones.

Former New England Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore believes the Patriots organization has failed quarterback Mac Jones.

Gilmore was a major piece for the team during the final years of the Tom Brady era. The 2019 Defensive Player of the Year overlapped with Jones a bit, as he was traded to the Carolina Panthers at the 2021 trade deadline.

Gilmore is now with the Dallas Cowboys. However, he still talks to Jones, and the corner believes the organization has not done enough for the quarterback to succeed. He elaborated on this during an appearance on “The Greg Hill Show” on WEEI, per NESN.com’s Zack Cox.

“I definitely do. I think he’s a starting quarterback,” Gilmore said. “He’s smart. He works hard. He can throw the ball anywhere. He can get the ball out quick when he can.

“I think he’s a starting quarterback. I think it’s a team thing. I think the team just hasn’t been able to set him up the right way.”

There are a myriad of problems for the Patriots’ roster. However, there is no denying that the team has stunted Jones’ development.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Aaron Rodgers commented on ever-changing narrative with Mac Jones and Bill Belichick

Legendary QB Aaron Rodgers gives a shoutout to Mac Jones for his game-winning performance against the Bills.

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers gave a shoutout to New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Mac Jones earlier this week.

Rodgers appeared on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Tuesday and made his case against the criticism surrounding Belichick and Jones.

“The narrative can change so quickly in this league. It’s overreaction Mondays every single week. It’s overreaction for the entire week,” said Rodgers. “I mean, look at what’s going on in New England. I mean, ‘Mac Jones and Bill’s going to be out. Mac’s the problem.’ And then Mac goes out and balls out.

“I think he was 25-of-31. He played incredible and led them on a last-second drive, and now, it’s ‘Mac was never the problem’. You have to be able to laugh at some of this [expletive] because it’s so ridiculous, right? The overreactions and the blanket statements are crazy.”

Jones was solid in his team’s 29-25 win over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. He threw for 272 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winner to tight end Mike Gesicki. He looked sharp, and his play helped the Patriots secure their first victory over the Bills since 2021.

Jones’ inconsistencies have been a major talking point this season. The Alabama product has recorded 1,480 yards, seven touchdowns and seven interceptions on the year.

Sunday’s win could be a turning point in the season for both Jones and the Patriots. The next test will be on Sunday against a Miami Dolphins team that ranks amongst the best in the league.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Julian Edelman believes Patriots should stick with Mac Jones to finish 2023

Sticking with Mac Jones for the rest of the season might be the Patriots’ most realistic option.

New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman believes the Patriots should stick with Mac Jones at the quarterback position, despite a rough 2023 season.

Edelman has been tough on Jones over the past couple of seasons. The former Patriots great has questioned Jones’ decision-making. He has also questioned the quarterback’s ability to lead.

The quarterback has struggled this season, throwing for 1,208 yards, five touchdowns and seven interceptions. It’s been a difficult year for a Patriots offense that was supposed to show signs of improvement. Instead, Jones and the rest of the offense have continued to struggle.

Edelman doesn’t think the Patriots should make any drastic moves, however, as he told Von Miller on “The Voncast” this week.

“I would stick it out,” Edelman said. “They’re not going to pay Kirk next year. You’d rent Kirk Cousins if you had a shot, unless you want to pay him for the next few years. I think you got to stick with Mac. This is where you see his mental toughness. When things are not at its best, a lot of characteristics come out of people, and that’s kind of when you want to evaluate them because that’s when you know if you got a dog or not.”

New England’s problems offensively stem from many things. The Patriots rank 31st in the NFL with the team averaging 12 points per game. Right now, they are in a difficult spot at the quarterback position with no clear way out.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Patriots OC Bill O’Brien expects Mac Jones to start against Bills

Bill O’Brien expects Mac Jones to remain the Patriots’ starting QB in Week 7

New England Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien expects quarterback Mac Jones to start on Sunday against the Buffalo Bills.

Jones is coming off a rough outing against the Las Vegas Raiders last Sunday. He threw for only 200 yards and an interception on the afternoon. The New England offense moved the ball a bit better than in previous games, but they still ended up losing by a 21-17 margin.

Jones has had his struggles so far this season. The quarterback has thrown for 1,208 yards, five touchdowns and seven interceptions in 2023.

His 75.3 quarterback rating on Sunday was a step up from his previous two games. He tallied a 30.5 quarterback rating against the New Orleans Saints and a 39.9 quarterback rating against the Dallas Cowboys.

Nevertheless, O’Brien anticipates New England will stick with him as the starter against the Bills on Sunday, as transcribed by NESN.com’s Dakota Randall.

New England has clearly had struggles at the quarterback position. But even with all of the current issues, Jones may be the best available option for them right now.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Even with flaws, Tony Romo believes Mac Jones is better than people think

Tony Romo sees flaws in Mac Jones’ game, but he also sees a better QB than is being talked about.

NFL analyst Tony Romo sees progress being made by Mac Jones, despite his rough start to the season.

Jones threw for 200 yards and an interception in Sunday’s loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. His 75.3 quarterback rating was his highest since September 24 against the New York Jets. He recorded an 85.6 rating in that game.

Jones has struggled making accurate throws and reads this season. His lone interception on Sunday came after he tried to make a play on the run. The ball sailed over the arms of tight end Hunter Henry and gave the Las Vegas offense another opportunity to score.

Even with the recent struggles, Romo still sees positives in Jones’ game, but he also noted that the third-year quarterback has to take better care of the football.

“Mac Jones is better than what is being talked about or being shown,” Romo said, via NFL on CBS. “Sometimes, the tape shows that he’s not playing well at times. I think the reason why he hasn’t been replaced is because I think he’s actually helping them have a chance to win more often than the opposite.

“The last two weeks were terrible. But when you look at it, these games come down to turnovers. The turnover that he had today was not okay. That is an indiscriminate throw with a guy wide open. You can look back and say those are points. At the end of it, you end up losing by just a little bit. That could be the difference in the game.”

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CycIQKCsf_t/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=ac1a188a-00a4-4af8-abca-bfc3ddd997f3

The New England quarterback room is in flux right now. Quarterback Malik Cunningham did see a snap under center on Sunday, but he was sacked on the play.

Cunningham was added to the 53-man roster, although coach Bill Belichick did not specify exactly what his role on the team would be. Regardless, Jones is still the starter for now, and he will need to play at a higher level for New England to turn their season around.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Josh McDaniels shared thoughts on Mac Jones before Week 6 meeting

Here’s what Raiders coach Josh McDaniels said about Mac Jones ahead of Week 6 reunion

Las Vegas Raiders coach Josh McDaniels believes Mac Jones is still capable of good things, despite the third-year quarterback’s rough start to the 2023 season.

McDaniels got to see Jones’ capabilities firsthand as a rookie. In 2021, Jones recorded 3,801 passing yards, 22 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. The passing yards and touchdowns are still the most to this point in his career.

Since then, Jones has taken a bit of a nosedive.

He threw for 14 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 2022, and he’s off to another rough start this year as well with five touchdowns and six interceptions on the season. His 74.2 quarterback rating is ranked 26th in the NFL. Things have not gone smoothly for the Alabama product this season.

However, McDaniels was quick to praise him, per a transcript provided by Patriots.com.

“He’s a very talented player. Accuracy has always been a huge part of his game, touch, anticipation,” said McDaniels. “He has all those things at a very high level. They’ve battled the same bug we’ve battled honestly, with the turnovers and losing opportunities through change of possession. So, I’m sure that’s something that they’re going to work hard at limiting and getting rid of, and it’s the same thing we’re talking about.

“But this is a guy who’s a very capable passer in every situation. He’s played big and big games. He’s battled against really good teams, made some high-level throws and hung in there. Very tough in the pocket, gets hit and gets right up and goes to the next play. So, a lot of respect for him, a lot of admiration for what he did when I was there. It’ll be a big challenge for us this week.”

There’s still a lot of football to be played this season. Nevertheless, there is already a report that the Patriots might turn to backup quarterback Will Grier if things go awry. It’s a bit of a fall from grace for Jones, who was selected in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft.

New England needs him to right the ship on Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders before a brutal two-game stretch against the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Patriots legend Ty Law not buying Mac Jones’ optimism

Ty Law is not on board with Mac Jones’ latest comments.

New England Patriots legend Ty Law is not buying what Mac Jones is selling, as the Patriots look to pick up their second win of the season.

Law recently appeared on “The Greg Hill Show” and reacted to the latest comments by the third-year quarterback. Jones has stated that he is going to be the “same guy” and “bring guys along” as the organization looks to turn their fortunes around.

New England is currently 1-4 and sitting in the basement of the AFC East as the fourth-placed team.

“Bring with you where? To another team? C’mon, man,” said Law, when appearing on WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show.” “Bring with you where? To dinner? Let’s try that first. Take the team out to dinner. Do the Tom Brady, take them out to offseason workouts. You’re gonna lead them to another damn team. We ain’t gonna have nobody on the sidelines. C’mon, man.”

It’s hard to find optimism, given New England’s difficult remaining games on the schedule. Jones’ NFL run has been a rollercoaster filled with ups and downs. However, this season has been mostly down.

He will have to salvage what’s left of 2023, as the Patriots take on the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday. Kick-off is set for 4:05 p.m. ET.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Patriots QB Mac Jones no longer hanging onto excuses of youth

Mac Jones knows he isn’t the young guy anymore, and it’s time to step up.

New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones knows it’s time to make changes, as his 2023 season continues to spiral.

Jones has recorded 1,008 passing yards, five touchdowns and six interceptions on the season. He is coming off a shutout loss to the New Orleans Saints. In addition to the loss, he was benched for the second game in a row.

Jones is looking to turn the page as criticism surrounding his play continues. From his struggles this year, to his demonstrative actions on the field last year, things have not gone smoothly for Jones.

He knows he needs to step up his game in all aspects of his third season.

“I’m not necessarily a younger guy anymore,” Jones told media members on Wednesday, via the Boston Herald’s Andrew Callahan. “It’s my third year, and I’ve got to start playing like that and communicating like that.”

Jones will look to bounce back this Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders, as the 1-4 Patriots continue searching for answers on both sides of the ball.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Dan Orlovsky thinks Mac Jones would be better off with this NFC team

Dan Orlovsky thinks Mac Jones’ NFL career would have had a better start with this NFC team

ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky is no stranger to bold takes, and on Monday, he made a strong Mac Jones-Brock Purdy comparison.

Jones is coming off a shutout loss to the New Orleans Saints in a game where he threw for 110 passing yards and two interceptions. He has 1,008 yards, five touchdowns and six interceptions on the season.

For comparison’s sake, Purdy has 1,271 passing yards, nine touchdowns and no interceptions on the season. He is coming off a strong game against the Dallas Cowboys that saw him throw for 252 yards and four touchdowns. Purdy has not thrown an interception since January 1.

Both quarterbacks are playing on opposite ends of the spectrum. However, Orlovsky believes the shoe would be reversed if Jones was in San Francisco.

“If Mac Jones was in San Francisco, he would be playing like Brock Purdy,” Orlovsky said, when appearing on ESPN’s “Get Up”.

This is certainly an interesting argument to be had. The 49ers have done a better job of putting weapons around their quarterback than the Patriots have. Jones was viewed as one of the top quarterbacks in the 2021 draft, while Purdy was picked last in 2022.

Nevertheless, more pieces are in place for Purdy to succeed.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]