Patriots: Mac Jones Week One Performance Review
The New England Patriots' starting QB has been under fire at times for fans' perception of his on-field performance. Often, the criticism is unjust. The truth is, a large portion of New England is accustomed to winning, and they're upset that there hasn't been enough of it. Unfortunately, wins and losses have become a QB […]
The New England Patriots' starting QB has been under fire at times for fans' perception of his on-field performance. Often, the criticism is unjust. The truth is, a large portion of New England is accustomed to winning, and they're upset that there hasn't been enough of it. Unfortunately, wins and losses have become a QB stat, despite it being a team game. Even the best QBs will tell you they're only as good as the playmakers around them. That doesn't mean a QB can't elevate and make the players around them better. It also means the players around the QB can fail them. I am going to start a weekly review that covers his highs and lows and provides context and nuance to performances, whether good or bad. I will review the coach's angle film of the game in its entirety, covering the highs and lows. I will include some clips below so you can follow along. Finally, I will end the article with a grade, reflecting my honest opinion based on what I see in the rewatch.
Positive
Pressure Management: Mac Jones faced 21 pressures on Sunday. His interior offensive line featured two rookies drafted on day three. It was never in the cards for these guys to be thrust into the starting lineup so early in their careers, let alone against the Philadelphia Eagles' dominant defensive line. The duo allowed a total of 12 pressures in that game, which is quite a lot. For some additional context, Sidy Sow finished as the 189th ranked offensive lineman in the NFL, among all offensive linemen, including guards, centers, and tackles. The problem is, only 190 offensive linemen took a snap. It wasn't much better for Mafi, who finished as the 185th ranked offensive lineman out of the 190 eligible linemen (minimum one snap).
Despite the struggling interior offensive line, Jones did a good job of mitigating the pressure by getting the ball out quickly. It was partly the game plan, as they knew going into the game that they could be without both starting guards. However, Jones did an excellent job of releasing the ball quickly, even on plays down-the-field. He displayed decisiveness and a good field awareness. I also thought he did well maintaining his footwork and mechanics under pressure.
Anticipation: Jones seemed to have the answers to the test in front of him. He threw numerous passes to receivers before they were open, essentially "throwing them open." It's something he flashed in 2021, but everything seemed a bit behind in 2022. The addition of a legitimate offensive mind already appears to be paying off.
Pre-Snap Reads: Most of the night, Jones seemed comfortable with the play-calling. Despite being under often duress, he trusted what he saw pre-snap and that aided in him getting the ball out lightning fast.
Offensive Comfortability: As previously mentioned, Jones looked comfortable and had the answers on where to go with the football. Jones and O'Brien clearly spent extensive time together in the offseason. Jones effectively got in and out of different play calls at his own discretion, and the changes often resulted in a positive outcome. I have included a clip below where he kills the original play and throws a perfect pass between two defenders approximately two seconds after the snap. That is an impressive display of diagnosis, trust, play design, and execution by the offensive coordinator, QB, and playmakers in their first game together.
Negative
Ball Placement: I thought the placement improved as the game went on and the ball got drier, but during the early part of the game when it was raining, Jones' passes were a bit erratic. His accuracy improved as the game progressed, but I still think he left something to be desired with his ball placement. Ironically, some of his best-placed passes of the night didn't count (See: Bourne and Boutte mishaps). On the other hand, some of his worst passes (Henry's one-handed grab attempt) created highlight moments, while others resulted in big mistakes (Darius Slay's pick-six). Jones is generally an accurate passer, but it wasn't his best night, and he left some plays on the table.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, there was more bad than good. You wish they could have pulled out a win, but the promising signs of Jones' growth and O'Brien's presence serve as a silver lining to a disappointing loss. You can appreciate the team's efforts given the unique circumstances. They truly had no deep threat to keep the Eagles' defense honest, and the run game was not an option due to the offensive line woes. Without a deep threat to keep defenses honest and no play-action threat, the Eagles were able to play condensed and take away the short routes.
The team, in general, needs to improve its performance in tight games against high-pedigree opponents. Over the last few years, the Patriots have often found themselves on the wrong side of crucial moments. These moments define high-pedigree teams, and to take the next leap, everyone needs to become more consistent. I still believe the team is in desperate need of a true alpha playmaker; there's a missing spark in the team. Obviously, the O-Line was poor and will improve with the return of guards Mike Onwenu and Cole Strange so it should only be up from here.
Mac Jones Grade: B
Grades are based on my opinion formed from watching the coaches' angle (all 22) using my knowledge of the game to provide a fair assessment that encompasses Jones' performances on a week-to-week basis. They will be released weekly on Fridays. Scale is F to A+.
Featured image via Kris Craig / USA TODAY NETWORK
