Mac Jones did not look like a quarterback making his NFL debut in the Patriots’ Week 1 clash with the Dolphins.
New England ultimately fell one point short of defeating Miami, but Jones looked the part under center. The Alabama product was calm in the pocket and sharp with his throws, going 29-39 for 281 yards and a touchdown pass to Nelson Agholor. He fumbled early in the game, but Jones bounced back and thrived from that point on, showcasing his poise for all to see.
Jones’ performance naturally caught the eye of Jets defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich while preparing to take on the Patriots this weekend. Jones might be making just his second career start and first against New York in Week 2, but Ulbrich is not treating New England’s new quarterback as a wet behind the ears passer ahead of Sunday afternoon.
“He’s way better than I wanted him to be,” Ulbrich said Thursday, per North Jersey’s Andy Vasquez.
Ulbrich’s young secondary allowed Sam Darnold to throw for 279 yards and a 57-yard touchdown to Robby Anderson in Week 1. Jones got the job done against a top-tier Dolphins defense, making it fair to wonder if the back line of New York’s defense could be in for a long game against the Patriots.
Josh McDaniels is one of the best in the business at identifying an opponent’s weaknesses. With a capable pocket passer like Jones under center, New England could be in a position to succeed through the air in Week 2. The Patriots will turn to Damien Harris early and often to try and achieve a run-pass balance in order to not have the weight of the world fall on Jones’ shoulders, but he will be a focal point of McDaniels’ gameplan going up against an unproven group of Jets cornerbacks and questionable safety unit outside od Marcus Maye.
Ulbrich’s defense was by no means bad in its debut in his scheme, but going up against Jones and the Patriots poses a whole new set of challenges. If Jones plays another efficient game, the Jets could be in trouble.
