Tag: Jonathan Jones

Patriots CB says Tyler Lockett admitted refs missed PI call

Did the refs blow the pass interference call?

Jonathan Jones believes the defensive pass interference penalty called on him in overtime was the play of the game.

There were 20 yards enforced on the play, and the Seattle Seahawks rode that wave of momentum to a game-winning drive against the New England Patriots on Sunday.

And Jones isn’t happy about it.

The veteran cornerback told reporters that even Tyler Lockett, the Seahawks’ receiver Jones was covering at the time, told him that it “wasn’t a penalty.”

“Straight up, that’s what he told me. It sucks because I feel like that was the play of the game,” Jones said, via the Boston Herald’s Zack Cox.

It’s hard to know what would have happened in the game if the penalty was never called. But Jones does have a right to be angry over what looked like a missed call by the officials.

The Patriots will have to put those frustrations behind them for a quick turnaround game against the New York Jets on Thursday night.

Patriots CB Jonathan Jones wants to play spoiler for other NFL teams

Jonathan Jones is relishing in the underdog role

New England Patriots cornerback Jonathan Jones is hoping to spoil the fun of some other teams this upcoming season.

The Patriots are in a rebuilding year after going 4-13 in 2023. Now, they have a new coach and new talent on both sides of the football. The schedule is not easy with the team opening against the Cincinnati Bengals and playing multiple likely playoff contenders along the way.

However, Jones is looking to play the role of spoiler this season for some of the teams New England is scheduled to face.

“I would definitely say there’s a different approach (compared to) previous years of it being nobody’s counting on us,” Jones said, via the Boston Herald’s Zack Cox. “We get to spoil everyone’s hopes and dreams as the year goes on, and hopefully by the end of the year, teams are looking at us and people are starting to pick us to win.”

https://twitter.com/zm_cox/status/1831368018993012962

The Patriots certainly have an uphill battle with a tough schedule and a young football team. Those two factors could lead to other teams taking them lightly and potentially raise the upset odds.

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CB Jonathan Jones has lofty player comparison for Christian Gonzalez

Jonathan Jones had a remarkable player comparison for Christian Gonzalez

New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez has received high praise throughout the offseason.

He was given an honorable mention in ESPN’s top-10 cornerbacks list ahead of the 2024 season, and on Tuesday, Jonathan Jones compared him to former All-Pro corner Stephon Gilmore.

This is certainly high praise, given that Gilmore was named the 2019 NFL Defensive Player of the Year during his time with New England. He also made the Pro Bowl three times while with the Patriots organization.

Gilmore was a linchpin of the defense, and the Patriots hope Gonzalez can be the same for them in the future. According to Jones, Gonzalez’s quiet demeanor and high level of play on the field is reminiscent of Gilmore.

Gonzalez will be looking to bounce back after going down with a season-ending injury last year.

His development will be worth monitoring throughout training camp and the regular season. This could be the year he breaks out and truly establishes himself as one of the top cornerbacks in the NFL.

Patriots CB Jonathan Jones has bold prediction for Christian Gonzalez

Jonathan Jones sees superstar-level talent in Christian Gonzalez

New England Patriots cornerback Jonathan Jones had high praise for second-year corner Christian Gonzalez when speaking with media members earlier this week.

Gonzalez was well on his way to a strong rookie season in 2023, but an injury in the Week 4 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys derailed his rookie campaign.

The Oregon product still managed to put together a respectable season, tallying seven tackles, a sack and an interception in only four games. During that run, he was asked to cover some of the opposition’s best receivers.

DeVonta Smith, A.J. Brown, Tyreek Hill, CeeDee Lamb and Garrett Wilson were just some of the receivers he was able to defend. It was that impressive first year and the work behind the scenes that led Jones to making a remarkable prediction for Gonzalez’s NFL career.

“He’s going to be one of the best players in the game,” said Jones.

Gonzalez has high expectations heading into his second year. His rookie season certainly gave Patriots fans something to be excited about. Now that he’s finally healthy, he can pick back up where he left off in a defense that should be formidable in 2024.

Jonathan Jones discusses tension in Patriots’ locker room during 2023 season

Jonathan Jones opened up about tension in the Patriots’ locker room during the 2023 season

Several New England Patriots players haven’t shied away from the issues that led to the 4-13 finish in 2023. Cornerback Jonathan Jones even went as far as revealing there was tension in the locker room.

Jones was a part of a strong defensive unit that held up their end of the deal. They allowed 21 points or less in six losses. The offense struggled, as the quarterback carousel, among other things, was something that hampered New England throughout the course of the year.

Tension began to build, and Jones noticed it.

“I think the division was something you could see was starting to happen,” Jones said, when speaking with The Boston Globe’s Nicole Yang. “Something you never want to happen is offense versus defense, where the defense is like, ‘Well, we’re doing our job,’ because, one, that still doesn’t win us games and two, that doesn’t help the locker room.”

Jones had a solid season for his part, recording 48 tackles on the year. The Patriots’ secondary managed to stay strong, despite injuries to Christian Gonzalez and Marcus Jones.

The offensive production is something the Patriots want to work on for 2024. That unit holding up its end could drastically change the outlook for the better in the upcoming season.

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Patriots CB Jonathan Jones agrees with this Bill Belichick sentiment

Are Bill Belichick’s coaching methods dated? Jonathan Jones weighs in.

New England Patriots cornerback Jonathan Jones is agreeing with the narrative that former Patriots coach Bill Belichick may have been difficult to relate to.

At 71 years of age, Belichick has a bit of a different style when working with today’s NFL players. He takes a more rigid approach to things, and that may be more difficult for players to relate to. It’s hard to argue with Belichick’s overall success in New England, with six Super Bowl titles to his name. Nevertheless, times are indeed changing.

Jones certainly didn’t shy away from the sentiment during a recent radio appearance, as transcribed by NESN.com’s Gio Rivera.

“I think they want to be related to,” Jones told 98.5 The Sports Hub’s “Zolak & Bertrand”. “I think when I came in it was, ‘Show up, do your job.’ And that worked. That worked for a while. That worked for a very, very long time, but this generation, I don’t think that works for them. So I think (Jerod) Mayo is in a space where he can connect with guys — this younger generation — but at the same time, he’s a leader. When he’s in a room, guys listen to him.”

The relatability factor may have been a reason why Belichick did not find a head coaching job this cycle, even if it’s hard to deny the results he put forth during his time with New England.

How Mayo’s different coaching style shines through and his relationship with players will be something to watch.

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Prince Tega Wanogho headed back to Super Bowl with Chiefs

This former Auburn lineman is headed back to the Super Bowl

Former Auburn offensive tackle [autotag]Prince Tega Wanogho[/autotag] is headed back to the Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs.

The 26-year-old appeared in just 3 games this season for Kansas City before going on IR after appearing in 17 during the Chiefs’ Super Bowl-winning season last year.

There is some hope that Wanogho can return to the field on February 11, as the former sixth-round pick was able to partake in all three practice sessions before ultimately being ruled out last Friday.

With two weeks off between now and the big game, the former Auburn standout will have every chance to prove his health ahead of the second Super Bowl of his young career.

If Wanogho can play, he may see an uptick from the seven snaps he received last year with the Chiefs offensive line in rough condition injury-wise.

Star guard Joe Thuney injured himself in the divisional round against the Bills and is considered a “long shot” to return this season, while most of the other starters across the line are dealing with minor ailments.

Active or not, Wanogho can join former Tigers [autotag]Jonathan Jones[/autotag] and [autotag]Brandon King[/autotag] as active alumni with multiple Super Bowl victories with a win.

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Bills vs. Patriots: Key matchups to watch in Week 17

#Bills vs. #Patriots: Key matchups to watch in Week 17:

The Buffalo Bills will host the New England Patriots in their upcoming Week 17 matchup at Highmark Stadium.

The two teams have been rigorously preparing for the contest throughout the past week. Buffalo (9-6) and New England (4-11) will think they know their upcoming opponent, inside and out, after all the practicing and studying they have put in.

Because of that, despite all the off-field talking, speculation and discussion, it will still be the games, within the game, that will make all the difference when it comes to the final outcome of this upcoming weekend.

With that, here are three key matchups to watch during Sunday’s Bills-Patriots matchup:

Patriots’ top 10 defensive players in Week 16, per PFF grades

Here are the 10 highest-graded Patriots defensive players in the win over the Broncos, per PFF.

Despite having key players out of the lineup, the New England Patriots were suffocating defensively against the Denver Broncos.

There was nowhere to run or breathe for Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson, who was constantly hit and harassed by the Patriots’ powerful and underrated defensive front.

Defensive tackle Christian Barmore led the charge with three sacks and four quarterback hits. He dominated up front and made it incredibly difficult for Wilson to settle in the pocket. It’s no surprise that the four highest-graded defensive players by Pro Football Focus were on New England’s defensive front.

The unit has overperformed all season, even in the absence of leading pass-rusher Matthew Judon. Defense remains the calling card for the Patriots, and in many ways, that continued to prove to be the case on Sunday night against the Broncos.

Here are the 10 highest-graded defensive players for the Patriots in Week 16, per PFF.