The best chefs are nothing without their best ingredients — and apparently, Mac Jones can’t perform without an array of skill players around him.
That is according to the Patriots‘ quarterback’s camp, who told FOX Sports on Sunday that Jones is not to blame for New England‘s disastrous start to the 2023 NFL season. The comments come aftet the Patriots sank to 1-4 following a 34-0 home loss to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.
“No matter how good of cook you are…”
A source “close to” the much-maligned Jones told FOX Sports reporter Henry McKenna that blaming the third-year signal caller for the Patriots‘ malaise is off the mark. Rather, head coach and general manager Bill Belichick should shoulder the responsibility for Jones’ poor performances — and the declining fortunes of a team that once dominated the NFL every year.
Jones has not benefitted from having a different offensive coordinator each year of his NFL career, and the former first-round pick is having his most difficult season yet in 2023. New England has not scored a touchdown in any of its past 34 offensive possessions — and Jones has thrown more interceptions (four) than the Patriots have scored points (3) over the past two weeks.
Just as he was in the 38-3 loss to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 4, Jones was benched in the second half of the defeat to visiting New Orleans on Sunday. Backup quarterback Bailey Zappe replaced him once again — and the debate over who should be the Pats‘ starting signal-caller figures to ramp up over the coming days.
Bill Belichick embarrasses a referee
Jones is still QB1…for now
After Sunday’s lopsided defeat, Belichick told reporters that Jones will remain New England‘s starting quarterback. The last-place Patriots travel next to Las Vegas to take on the Raiders in Week 6 action next Sunday.
“There were a lot of problems,” Belichick said. “(The loss) certainly wasn’t all on him.”
Even though he has been benched for Zappe in consecutive weeks — and the Patriots could easily shift into 2024 draft mode — Jones is only two seasons removed from a Pro Bowl selection, made after his solid rookie season in the NFL. But Jones has regressed in the two seasons since, and it seems like his entourage is content to lay the blame at Belichick’s feet for poor talent recruitment — particularly, the glaring lack of a #1 option at wide receiver.
