Tag: England patriots

Patriots QB Mac Jones finally opens up on locker photo of Bills playoff loss

Mac Jones talks about the Bills playoff game photo in his locker.

New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones has a reminder of last season’s opening-round playoff loss in his locker. The photo was discovered earlier this month, and now, we know the reason why it’s there.

Jones received his first action of the preseason last Friday, as the regular season inches closer. He played a minor role in the Patriots’ 20-10 win over the Carolina Panthers by going 4-of-8 throwing on the evening for 61 yards.

Following the game, he went into great detail about why he has that particular photo in his locker, as transcribed by Zack Cox of NESN.com. It’s a motivational tool for him and something he uses as he gets set to enter his second season in the NFL. Two poems in particular also fuel him for motivation.

“I’ve always been a big fan of having motivational stuff in your locker,” Jones said. “My dad actually — the two things that he’s always showed me is the poem ‘Man in the Arena’ and ‘If’ by Rudyard Kipling. Those are the two that are more important to me. But I’ve always done that. (The photo is) last year, but I think it’s motivation to just come in here and work every day.

“I do love the two poems a lot. That’s a big shoutout to my dad because he kind of gave me those when I was probably like 6 years old and kind of explained everything to me, and as I grew, I continued to just enjoy that. Actually, the ‘If’ poem was in Wimbledon, so that’s where he learned about it in the locker room in Wimbledon. So that’s pretty cool.”

Jones and the Patriots will need to have a strong 2022 season, as the team looks to keep pace with the Buffalo Bills. An improved Miami Dolphins team is no slouch either, as the duo of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle should give the secondary fits.

The Patriots have one final preseason tune-up before they go on the road to Miami for the season opener. They will take on Josh McDaniels and the Las Vegas Raiders on Friday.

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WATCH: Patriots CB Shaun Wade takes flight for ridiculous interception

Shaun Wade showed off some acrobatics for this interception.

On a preseason night where defenses ruled, Cornerback Shaun Wade recorded an interception in a key moment of Friday’s game between the New England Patriots and Carolina Panthers.

The interception concluded a three-play 19-yard drive for the visiting Panthers. Quarterback PJ Walker threw a pass intended for wide receiver Derek Wright, and it landed in the arms of Wade, who is in his second season with the Patriots with the organization looking to build up depth in the secondary.

The ensuing drive did not lead to points. However, it gave fans a glimpse of Wade’s ability as a defensive back.

It will be intriguing to see if Wade can make a further impact for the Patriots as they prepare for their third and final preseason game.

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Mac Jones shows promise in this statistic with changed offensive line

New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones is in good company in this particular category.

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The New England Patriots underwent a makeover on the offensive line this offseason. The organization lost pieces such as Shaq Mason and Ted Karras via both trades and free agency. They also added a piece to the line: guard Cole Strange. The Patriots drafted him in the first round at 29th overall.

The turnover on the offensive line could impact quarterback Mac Jones. However, a certain statistic is a promising sign as he heads into his second season.

Pro Football Focus ranked the quarterbacks who were most affected by pressure on Friday. Jones fell between Taylor Heinicke and Patrick Mahomes with an 84.5 grade. That was good enough for 23rd in the NFL — a solid place to sit after Jones’ rookie season.

PFF’s Bryant Horn wrote his thinking behind this ranking:

“Like Heinicke, Jones’ pressure performance was around average for the group. He went 66-for-123 with 730 yards, six touchdowns and four picks. His 40 first downs were slightly on the low end, but he tallied just six turnover-worthy plays, which was tied for the second-fewest.”

It will be intriguing to see where he ends up in the rankings for next season. As the Patriots look to install a new offensive system, those numbers may change by the end of the season.

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Matthew Judon puzzled by Patriots’ late-season struggles

Matthew Judon is puzzled by New England’s late-season struggles

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The New England Patriots were the AFC’s top seed as the month of December began. Losing three out of the last four games, the trajectory completely changed on the 2021 season. Misfortune followed them to the first round of the NFL playoffs, where they were defeated soundly by the Buffalo Bills, 47-17.

Linebacker Matthew Judon did his part to help the Patriots get in playoff contention in the first place. He was a major part of their defense, as he recorded 12.5 sacks on the season. However, he could not get things going in the final stretch.

Much like the rest of the team, Judon did not produce at a high level toward the end of the year. He recorded only one quarterback hit and one tackle for a loss in New England’s final five games.

Speaking on Felger and Mazz Wednesday, the linebacker offered his take about why the Patriots faltered down the stretch. As transcribed by NESN’s Zack Cox, it was a combination of things.

“I don’t know, honestly,” he said, speaking from Super Bowl LVI Radio Row. “We kind of just played some good teams, and we weren’t playing our best ball. And you can’t do that at the end of the season. It’s really no excuse. I wish I could be like, ‘Well, this person got hurt,’ but it wasn’t that. It wasn’t that.

“It was just we weren’t playing good football, and I think after like two games, then everybody tried to start making a play. Like, ‘I’m going to be the player that do this. I’m going to be the player that do that,’ instead of just playing within the defensive scheme and stuff like that. And I kind of think that’s kind of what happened.

Signed to a four-year deal last offseason, Judon will have the chance to make an even bigger impact in 2022. As the organization looks to take the next step, he figures to be a key part of what New England’s defense does moving forward. With key offseason decisions still to be made, there will at least be continuity with the pass-rushers.

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Kendrick Bourne’s 2nd touchdown vs. the Titans was absolutely magical

How in the world did Kendrick Bourne manage this touchdown?

On a cold, snowy day at Gillette Stadium, and the Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne was on fire. Already with a touchdown catch to his name, he recorded another on a 41-yard reception.

With a little over five minutes left in the third quarter, Mac Jones completed a short pass to Bourne. He tiptoed along the sideline, and was able to stay in bounds as New England extended their lead to 26-13 following the extra point.

For Bourne, Sunday’s contest was his first multi-touchdown game since December 8, 2019 against the New Orleans Saints. His touchdown reception gave quarterback Jones his third multi-touchdown game in the last six contests.

As New England looks to close things out, Bourne has had his fingerprints on Sunday’s game.

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Patriots among teams at BYU QB Zach Wilson’s pro day

The Patriots attended Zack Wilson’s probably on Friday.

There are several talented quarterbacks in the 2021 NFL draft, and BYU quarterback Zach Wilson is certainly one of them. Friday, it was reported that the Patriots were among the teams at his pro day.

Wilson threw for 3,692 yards, 33 touchdowns and three interceptions on the year.

His best game of the season came on December 22 in the Boca Raton Bowl. In that game, he went 26-of-34 on the day, throwing for 425 yards and three touchdowns. He also had a 76.5 completion percentage. He showed that he could rush the football as well, carrying the ball five times for 12 yards and two touchdowns, as BYU was able to defeat UCF.

With Wilson one of the top quarterbacks in the draft, the Patriots would have to do some maneuvering in order to land him. Nevertheless, they are certainly doing their homework.

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