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When asked why other quarterbacks around the NFL “seem to have more open receivers to throw to either because of scheme or good WRs,” Mac Jones struggled to answer. Worryingly, the starter for the New England Patriots did agree “That’s a good point,” per Chad Graff of The Athletic.
Jones was speaking to reporters after the Pats were beaten 20-17 at home by the struggling Washington Commanders in Week 9. His indecision and uneasy diplomacy were obvious, according to Graff: “He was also asked if it’s difficult to remain confident in this offensive system and admitted, ‘It’s tough,’ as part of an answer that reiterated he needs to remain confident in himself.”
Graff interprets these worrying comments as “The quarterback is making clear in his own way that he’s not fond of the current setup around him, be it because of the offensive coordinator or wide receivers or both.”
Apparent dissatisfaction from Jones is just one more symptom of the misery engulfing the Patriots this season. Much of it stems from head coach Bill Belichick’s inability to develop his starting signal-caller or surround Jones with quality targets.
Those problems continue to be obvious, despite Belichick cycling through multiple coaches and several receivers.
Mac Jones Has Reasons to Be Unhappy
Jones isn’t lighting up any scoreboards with his arm talent, but he has reasons to be unhappy about what he’s been given. He can point to Belichick somehow thinking it was a good idea to have former defensive coordinator Matt Patricia call the offense in 2022.
The Patricia experiment failed, prompting the return of Bill O’Brien as play-caller. Jones can also question a recruitment policy that’s left him with a paucity of quality wide receivers.
Belichick tried to fix the issue by signing JuJu Smith-Schuster from the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs in free agency. It hasn’t worked out because Smith-Schuster hasn’t been used enough, and when he’s played, the veteran hasn’t delivered.
Smith-Schuster took the blame for letting Jones’ pass bounce off his fingers for a game-sealing interception by rookie Jartavius Martin against the Commanders. The Patriots gave Smith-Schuster a three-year contract worth $25.5 million, but MassLive.com’s Mark Daniels believes “All Bill Belichick had to do was re-sign Jakobi Meyers.”
Meyers was Jones’ go-to target during both the 2021 and ’22 seasons, snagging 150 receptions over that time. Meyers was allowed to join the Las Vegas Raiders in free agency, and the Pats have failed to replace him.
Things might be different if Kendrick Bourne was still healthy, but Jones’ primary receiver this year is out for the season with a torn ACL. DeVante Parker is also missing due to a concussion, but both wideouts haven’t completely made the grade during their time in New England.
The problem is compounded by Belichick’s failure to draft playmakers at the position. He waited until the sixth round to select Demario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte in the 2023 NFL draft.
Douglas has flashed some potential, but Boutte hasn’t been given many chances to showcase his talents as a vertical threat. The ex-LSU standout was inactive against Washington, even though Belichick applauded the receiver for having his “best week” of practice.
Belichick gave a typically non-committal answer when asked why Boutte wasn’t dressed for the game, per NESN.com’s Zack Cox.
The Patriots have done a poor job of surrounding Jones with talent, but No. 10 also bears some responsibility for the team’s current issues.
Mac Jones Hasn’t Delivered in New Scheme
O’Brien has been tasked with getting Jones to make quicker decisions and more accurate throws. The results haven’t been what was expected.
Jones’s bad throw percentage is 13.0, while his percentage of on-target throws is just 64.5, per Pro Football Reference. The corresponding numbers were 13.4 and 75 percent last season.
Statistics show Jones is worse than in 2022. Scheme is one thing, but the 25-year-old has to respond to coaching. Specifically, Jones must follow the game plan, something he struggled to do against the Commanders.
New England’s QB1 revealed the strategy was to target rookie cornerback Emmanuel Forbes, but as Taylor Kyles of Patriots on CLNS highlighted, Jones missed too many throws against No. 13.
The Patriots are trapped in a vicious circle on offense. Their quarterback isn’t surrounded by a good enough supporting cast, but he’s not compensating by making the right plays within the system.
There is no easy solution when everybody is at fault. This much blame to go around is another sign the 2-7 Patriots are headed for a roster reset this offseason.
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