Matt Patricia explained difference in offensive play-calling between Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe

The Patriots have noticeably thrown more deep balls with Jones under center while Zappe's had more play-action passes.

Matt Patricia said that the play-calling difference for Mac Jones isn't quarterback-based.

October 28, 2022

3 minutes to read

Mac Jones will be the Patriots’ starting quarterback this week against the Jets, but several questions still linger.

Is Jones the starting quarterback moving forward? Will he perform better than he has so far this season, which opened up the possibility of a quarterback controversy?

Another question is if he’ll get the same and more simplified offensive playcalling that fourth-round rookie Bailey Zappe got in his two games as the Patriots’ starting quarterback. In those two games, New England’s offense accounted for a total of 30 points as opposed to the roughly 17 points per game they scored in the first three games Jones started this season.

While it appears that Jones is working with a more complex offense than Zappe so far this season, senior adviser/offensive line coach Matt Patricia (who seems to be the Patriots’ offensive playcaller) said that the approach wasn’t player-based, but more opponent-based.

“I think that it’s more based on our game plans for those weeks,” Patricia said Friday. “So, certainly a little different game-planning earlier whether it was Cleveland or whatever it was versus now obviously against the Jets, which is completely different based on defensively what they do.

“I’d say, from an offensive standpoint, most of our stuff is built universally for all of the quarterbacks and what we think is best for that game more so than the particular quarterback, if that would make sense.”

So far, the Patriots’ offense has noticeably taken the approach to air it out and take chances down the field with Jones at quarterback with fewer play-actions. Jones leads the league in deep throw frequency (20.4 percent), which is nearly double compared to his rookie season, when he ranked 18th in such throws among quarterbacks who played at least half the season (11.3 percent).

New England has also called fewer play-action passes for Jones (11.7 percent play-action rate) than Zappe (26.3), per Pro Football Focus. The new changes for Jones could explain his struggles this season as he’s thrown two touchdowns to six interceptions in four games with a 70.8 passer rating.

The changes might have led to Jones asking why the Patriots are making them. In fact, Jones said in late August following the Patriots’ offensive struggles in training camp and preseason that “I always say, I just like to know why,” when he was asked about figuring things out with the new offense.

Patricia complimented that trait of Jones.

“I think [knowing why] is an important thing for all players,” Patricia said. “I think that’s just what we’re used to as far (as) teaching styles and how they change. Maybe a couple decades ago when we started we really didn’t have to get into all that a little bit. It was just kind of like, ‘This is what we do’ and everybody moved forward with it. But I would say in general education has gotten better and changed and methods and all that (have) evolved.

“I think that’s an important key when you put a play in or when you teach anything. It’s like, ‘OK, this is why we’re doing it.’ I think once you explain that I think everyone is like ‘OK, I get it better.’ They get a better picture for it.”

As several talking heads have speculated about Jones’s relationship with Patricia and have wondered if there’s favoritism going on because of the difference in play-calling for him and Zappe, Patricia complimented the second-year quarterback.

“He’s great. He’s a guy that has great ideas and thoughts and loves the game,” Patricia said. “Takes the coaching. Loves to talk football. … I think he’s got a great football mind.”