Mac Jones and the New England Patriots both look broken | New England Patriots

Mac Jones and the New England Patriots have had a traditional relationship arc. When Invoice Belichick broke his historic bond with Tom Brady after the 2019 season, he was adrift. He had unproductive flings with Cam Newton and Jarrett Stidham in 2020’s pandemic-disrupted season. However in 2021, Belichick determined to cool down once more; he drafted Jones, who had simply led Alabama to a nationwide championship, with the fifteenth decide. Belichick and Jones’ first yr collectively was a imaginative and prescient; Jones wasn’t a star, however he was the most efficient rookie quarterback in a category that included Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields, Trey Lance (yikes) and Zach Wilson (doubles yikes). The Patriots made it to the playoffs, and although Jones had some limitations, he regarded like Belichick’s associate for the lengthy haul.

The scenario steadily disintegrated in 2022 as Jones did not progress, and it appears in tatters 12 weeks into the present season. In a 10-7 loss to a mediocre New York Giants group on Sunday, Belichick benched Jones for the fourth time this season, in favor of Bailey Zappe. The Patriots fell when kicker Chad Ryland missed a 35-yard subject purpose as time expired, however which will show to be a long-term victory. Jones’ two interceptions and 89 yards on 12-of-21 passing helped the Patriots drop to 2-9. For the second, they’re positioned to pick third overall within the 2023 draft. By taking part in miserably, Jones has given the Patriots an honest shot at drafting a superior successor to him subsequent yr.

Jones by no means had wowing bodily means, however his power at Alabama was that he distributed the ball in rhythm to a unprecedented group of extensive receivers and working backs who went on to their very own NFL careers. Jones’ targets in Tuscaloosa included Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith (now a star with the Philadelphia Eagles) and Jaylen Waddle (now a fair greater star with the Miami Dolphins). In Jones’s first yr with New England, Belichick and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels helped him get alongside regardless of a way more paltry receiving corps to raise him up. However McDaniels left for a doomed head teaching alternative in Las Vegas earlier than Jones’ second professional season, and New England’s receiving group remained underwhelming, and Jones himself regressed after his encouraging rookie season.

The 2023 season has solely introduced additional decline. Jones is after all dropping greater than ever, however he’s throwing extra interceptions, fewer touchdowns, and fewer productive common passes than ever earlier than. Belichick has not favored his backup, 2022 fourth-round decide Zappe, sufficient to offer him a begin but this season. And the coach is famously prickly and when reporters pry for details about which QB he prefers. However benching Jones, a latest first-round decide, 4 occasions in a single season says all one must learn about Belichick’s analysis. Whether or not Jones begins going ahead or not, quarterbacks that suffer that many benchings don’t are likely to have enduring partnerships with their coaches.

Jones’ future isn’t the one topic of New England hypothesis in the mean time. Belichick’s standing, too, might be up for dialogue so long as essentially the most achieved coach in league historical past languishes in a failed post-Brady experiment. However no NFL coach would need Jones in his present state, and the Patriots may have a no brainer this offseason in declining the fifth-year possibility on Jones’ rookie contract. That might trigger his deal to run out after subsequent season. His time because the starter may run out a lot sooner.

MVP of the week

Jalen Hurts, quarterback, Philadelphia Eagles. The perfect quarterback duel of the season was the one Hurts staged on Sunday in a relentless Philadelphia rainstorm towards Josh Allen and the Buffalo Payments. Hurts’s passing numbers weren’t distinctive – he accomplished 18 of 31 passes for 200 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception. However he rose to the event when it mattered, and he ran for 2 extra touchdowns – together with a 12-yard keeper to clinch the sport in additional time. Allen was additionally sensible in a 37-34 loss, matching Hurts on the bottom with two touchdowns (and 81 yards on 9 carries) and one other 339 and two touchdowns (and an identical interception) by way of the air. Allen made play after play and appeared unwilling to let the Payments lose. However when Hurts took the ball needing a subject purpose to tie in additional time and a landing to win, he didn’t give Allen the chance to punch again.

Video of the week

Within the first-half of the Steelers’ sport on the Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh tailback Jaylen Warren fumbled the ball as he went to the bottom. Diontae Johnson, the Steelers’ proficient however inconsistent No 1 extensive receiver, was standing close by however made no effort to go after the unfastened ball. Johnson instructed reporters after the sport that he didn’t see the fumble. Pittsburgh still won, 16-10, and moved to 7-4 of their first sport after firing offensive coordinator Matt Canada. With co-coordinators Eddie Faulkner and Mike Sullivan changing him, the Steelers cleared the 400-yard plateau for the primary time in 59 video games – a feat they by no means as soon as achieved beneath Canada. The Steelers solely scored 16 factors on all these yards, however child steps.

Stat of the week

5-6. The Atlanta Falcons maintain that file however someway lead the NFC South after beating their rivals, the New Orleans Saints, on Sunday in Atlanta. The Falcons performed an unusually steady sport, steadily constructing their lead because the afternoon in their 24-15 win. Rookie working again Bijan Robinson, whose mild utilization by coach Arthur Smith has been a supply of irritation for each Falcons followers and fantasy soccer gamers, carried 16 occasions for 91 yards and a landing. The Saints additionally have a 5-6 file, and for the second yr in a row, a sub-.500 group might properly win the division after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers completed prime with an 8-9 file final season. Time for a ruling that groups with a dropping file can’t make the playoffs, even when they win their division?

Elsewhere around the league

— The Las Vegas Raiders have been a good story under interim head coach Antonio Pierce, who replaced the fired Josh McDaniels earlier in the month and won two of his first three games to keep Vegas within shouting distance of the AFC playoff picture. Sunday was a reality check as Patrick Mahomes brought the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs to town. The Raiders fought gamely with backup-turned-starting quarterback Aidan O’Connell, jumping out to a 14-0 lead in the second quarter, but found themselves outmanned. Mahomes had what for him is a fairly benign game – 27-of-34 passing for 298 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions – but the Chiefs didn’t need anything more in a 31-17 win. KC finished on a 31-3 run to move to 8-3. Vegas fell to 5-7, no longer on the periphery of contention.

— Remember the Denver Broncos that conceded 70 points to the Miami Dolphins? And fell to 1-5? That would be not these Denver Broncos, who have won five in succession and have 15 takeaways in their last four games. Sunday’s victims were the Cleveland Browns, who lost another quarterback to injury – this time it was Dorian Thompson-Robinson with a concussion.

— The Broncos are now 6-5 and contending for a wildcard spot in the AFC. But the team occupying the final wildcard place at the moment are … the Indianapolis Colts? Gardner Minshew’s team have rarely made the news this season but have kept on grinding out results, although their last three wins have admittedly been against the Patriots, Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers. Then again, their remaining schedule isn’t exactly terrifying either, with games against the Tennessee Titans, Bengals, Steelers, Falcons, Raiders and Houston Texans to come.

— It’s easy to blame Aaron Rodgers’s absence, Zach Wilson’s ineptitude, Nathaniel Hackett’s playcalling or offensive-line injuries for the fact that the New York Jets offense – 99-yard pick-sixes aside – is unwatchable, the most recent evidence of which came in their 34-13 Black Friday loss to the Dolphins. But who decided to draft Wilson in the first place, failed to get a decent backup for a 39-year-old quarterback, caved to Rodgers’s request to sign has-been Packers and neglected to build a decent o-line? The rot starts at the top for the Jets, a depressing reality for their fans.

— The 9-3 Baltimore Ravens have the best record in the AFC after a 20-10 win over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday Night Football. The hot seat got that little bit toastier for Brandon Staley as the 4-7 Chargers stumbled again.