Patriots Legendary Coach Points Out Mac Jones’ Biggest Problem

Getty New England Patriots QB Mac Jones

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ith the New England Patriots offense continuing to struggle in 2022, fans are trying to figure out what the problem is.

Second-year quarterback Mac Jones has taken a significant step back after an impressive rookie season that saw him earn a Pro Bowl nod. After throwing for 3,801 yards and 22 touchdowns in his first NFL season, Jones currently has thrown for just 1,963 yards and seven touchdowns per Pro Football Reference. 

But why is Jones in particular struggling? Former New England offensive coordinator Charlie Weis believes it is due to a lack of talent..

“I really like Jakobi Meyers as a receiver, but realistically tell me who the No. 1 receiver is that you’re concerned with every time you go to play against New England,” Weis said. “Therein lies the biggest problem. You can sit there and talk about Mac Jones and you can talk about Matt Patricia, but at the end of the day, when you watch the good teams play and you see who’s out there — even the Jets now, you look at their receivers now, they have good receivers. They do. You go against Buffalo, they have good receivers. You go against Miami, they have good receivers.

“So you want Mac Jones to get better? Go get him a couple of those guys,” he added. “Go get the Tyreek Hills and add him to your roster. Tell me how much better Mac Jones would be. You want me to give you the answer to that? You want me to give you the secret? He’d be a lot better! OK?”

How Have the Patriots Wide Receivers Performed in 2022?

Meyers is currently leading the way for New England’s wide receivers. He has 50 receptions for 593 yards and three touchdowns per Pro Football Reference. DeVante Parker is the next leading man with 56 receptions for 383 yards and a touchdown.

The fact that the Patriots third-best wide receiver is a running back (Rhamondre Stevenson), illustrates the lack of talent that they have.

Will the Patriots Offense Change?

With New England’s struggles, the Patriots offense might need to change and adapt. Former quarterback Matt Cassel offered his expertise on what the Patriots could do.

“The Patriots ran a lot of “quick game” and screen passes last week against the Buffalo Bills,” Cassel said. “But that was a top-ranked defense that’s strong on all levels. Buffalo has a very good secondary and plays with two high safeties to try to take away the explosive play. So, the Patriots had to be diligent with the ball and take the checkdowns as opposed to taking shots downfield. Monday night should be an opportunity for Mac Jones to open things up a bit.

“The Arizona Cardinals’ defensive coordinator, Vance Joseph, likes to send pressure and create 1-on-1 opportunities on the outside,” he added. “His defenses usually play more man-to-man coverage than zone, and that could be more beneficial to the Patriots taking shots if they believe they can win matchups with receivers like DeVante Parker and Nelson Agholor.”

Cassel also believes that Jones will perform well against the Cardinals in Week 14.

“I believe Mac Jones will have a big game this week,” he stated. “The Cardinals are better against the run than they are against the pass, so that’s a favorable matchup for Mac, which means they could lean on the pass more and deploy an attack similar to what we saw in Minnesota on Thanksgiving.”