It’s not challenging to identify what the New England Patriots haven’t done well in the first two weeks of the season. In fact, the Patriots haven’t done it all. Quarterback Mac Jones has not thrown the ball downfield.
It’s easy to imagine coach Bill Belichick and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels have elected to coach Jones to take the easy completion at this point in his young career. So that’s what he’s doing, rather than end up like New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson, who had an ugly four-interception game on Sunday. While New England (1-1) is not losing because of Jones, the Patriots will encounter better offenses in the coming weeks. At that point, they may require more from Jones.
So let’s dive into what we’ve seen statistically and on film — and then look at what Jones and McDaniels are saying.