Getty Mac Jones
He’s not Tom Brady yet, but New England Patriots rookie quarterback Mac Jones channeled his inner G.O.A.T on Sunday night as he got after Gunner Olszewski after he was forced to take a sack late in the first half.
Several people in attendance seemed to notice Jones holding Olszewski accountable after it appears the receiver’s poor positioning forced the quarterback to take a hit.
NESN’s Zack Cox and USA Today’s Henry McKenna caught a glimpse of the exchange:
Mac Jones was yelling at Gunner Olszewski after that half-ending sack. Looks like he wanted a different route.
Mac Jones seemed to chew out Gunner Olszewski at the end of that half. It seemed Olszewski was not where he was supposed to be.
Every week, Jones seems to be getting more comfortable with the offense, and with that comes leadership and holding his teammates accountable.
Unfortunately for Olszewski, this wasn’t the first time he’s flashed negative performances recently. Twitter reacted to a drop of perfect pass and this miscommunication. The Patriots’ coaching staff almost seemed to be putting things in order to replace Olszewski:
Gunner Olszewski just can’t seem to make an impact on offense. Hasn’t quite put it together as a receiver. He’ll still make the team as a punt returner and core special teams player. But he’s just not QUITE there yet when he’s on the field for the offense.
Olszewski’s name is one to watch on Tuesday when the Patriots trim the roster down to 53 players.
Mac Jones Had a Fantastic Preseason
It’s hard not to be excited about Jones’ future if you’re a Patriots fan. He improved with each preseason contest as you can see from the numbers Cox posted below.
Jones looked as advertised as it relates to poise, throwing accuracy, work ethic and attention to detail. He’s not a spectacular athlete who is going to extend plays and make things happen with his legs. That said, if coaches give him a system to run, it seems pretty safe to say he will execute it near flawlessly by the time he’s had a year or so under his belt in the NFL.
Jones appears set to break the mold other underachieving Alabama quarterbacks have created in the league. McKenna posted Jones’ numbers in comparison to other Patriots rookies in the preseason.
Patriots QB rookie preseason stats:
• Brian Hoyer: 29/44, 354 yards, 1 TD
• Jimmy Garoppolo: 46/79, 618 yards, 5 TDs, 1 INT
• Jacoby Brissett: 38/55, 387 yards, 1 TD
• Jarrett Stidham: 61/90, 732 yards, 4 TDs, 1 INT
• Mac Jones: 36/52, 389 yards, 1 TD
While he didn’t throw for as many yards and touchdowns as Jimmy Garoppolo, Jacoby Brissett or Jarrett Stidham, it appears there is a different feel and set of confidence with Jones than the others.
Even with Jones’ strong preseason, it appears he still may not have done enough to bypass Cam Newton in the race to become the Patriots’ starting quarterback this year.
All Signs Point to Cam Newton as the Week 1 Starter
Jones has played well, and I’m sure the Patriots are convinced he is their quarterback of the future. However, all signs point to Newton starting Week 1 vs. the Miami Dolphins on September 12.
Newton played starters snaps in the third and final preseason game. For him that was just 35 on Sunday, and that’s been consistent for him throughout the exhibition contests.
If Belichick and Co. were still evaluating him and Jones and trying to determine which player should be the starter, Newton would probably be playing more snaps. Instead, he’s playing the same number of snaps an unquestioned starter would play.
Meanwhile, much of the media is scrambling around suggesting there is a quarterback controversy while the man who actually makes the decision is seemingly telling us the answer to the question with his actions.
Lastly, Newton took to Instagram to post a message that mentions QB1, but it could be dismissed as something else. Still, it feels as if Newton knows something the public does not. At some point soon, the guessing will be over.
You have to wonder if the same will be said for Olszewski after a poorly timed bad week of practice and game performance.
Also Read:
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- Cam Newton Makes Bold ‘QB1’ Statement on Instagram
- Cam Newton’s Situation in New England Compared to NFC North Veteran
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- Patriots RB ‘Probably Looking Really Appealing’ to LA Rams, per Analyst