The New England Patriots offense struggled in 2022, and quarterback Mac Jones was often seen expressing his displeasure, especially towards the end of the season. That did not sit right with one ESPN analyst, who criticized Jones for his actions on the field during games.
Jones put together a season that saw him throw for 2,997 yards, 14 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. His play improved as the season progressed, as he threw no interceptions in seven of his final nine games. Nevertheless, New England struggled to get the ball into the end zone, and his frustration was often on full display.
ESPN’s Louis Riddick did not like Jones’ actions, and he talked about them in a segment for ESPN’s Get Up on Thursday, as transcribed by Boston.com’s Hayden Bird.
“What you saw happening last year with Mac Jones both on the field and on the sidelines — where he showed just how frustrated he was with the operation that he was having to work with in terms of the play-callers and the people that were in his ear — is totally unacceptable,” said Riddick. “It’s unacceptable by [Robert] Kraft’s standards. It’s unacceptable by Bill Belichick’s standards. It’s unacceptable by Patriot Nation’s standards.
“Bill O’Brien now, he needs to settle things down for Mac Jones,” Riddick continued. “They need to get Mac Jones a bonafide No. 1 wide receiver to really go ahead and take the top off the defense and let Mac really expand upon his skillset and see where he can take them.’”
The Patriots will have a chance to improve their offense this offseason. They have over $32 million in cap space, and also have the 14th overall pick in April’s draft. A playmaking receiver and offensive line help are two things the Patriots need the most, and it will be intriguing to see how they fill those holes. The impact that newly-hired offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien may have for Mac Jones will be interesting, as the latter looks to put everything together in his third season.
Regardless, New England will have to make some major changes, if they want to be a contender in the AFC.
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