Mac Jones did everything he could to make it a true quarterback competition in New England.
Was his outing against the New York Giants enough to win it?
That decision is up to legendary head coach Bill Belichick, who was as tight-lipped as ever Monday when he addressed the media after the game. Belichick stated that he had not made a decision on the starter for Week 1, stating that “no, we have a lot of decisions to make.” On the radio Monday morning, Belichick did throw some praise in the direction of the rookie quarterback, highlighting his willingness to learn from mistakes as well as his work ethic and effort:
Bill Belichick on @TheGregHillShow discussing the impact of Mac Jones' work ethic. pic.twitter.com/eCE0k8GS7H
— Henry McKenna (@McKennAnalysis) August 30, 2021
Still, did the rookie do enough to win the job? If he ends up being the starter in New England, his effort in the preseason finale will be a big reason why. Jones finished the day completing 10-of-14 passes for 156 yards and a touchdown, and on the preseason he completed 36-of-56 passes for 388 yards and the TD.
“I’ve gotten a lot of opportunities to play and I can improve on everything I want to improve on,” Jones said after the game against the Giants. “There’s a lot of work to do, but I think I’ve made progress.”
Let’s dive into his outing against New York, highlighting seven plays against the Giants. We’ll dive into how he uses his eyes and his mind, timing/rhythm/anticipation and placement as a passer, and how well he runs some core New England concepts:
Ultimately, Belichick might still go with the veteran. But Jones has shown this preseason that he is ready to handle the NFL game, whenever his name is called. Whether that means he is the quarterback of the future, or the present, remains to be seen, but Patriots fans should feel optimistic about that day, whenever it comes.
