What happens when the Patriots need more than one TD from Mac Jones?
Halfway through the regular season, Mac Jones hasn't thrown for more than one touchdown in a game.
They’re winning for now, but the Patriots won’t be for much longer if the offense keeps trending in this direction.
It was pretty much the same deal last week against the Jets. But, the Patriots need more from Mac Jones.
Eventually, the Patriots will need their quarterback to throw for more than one touchdown per game. About halfway through the season, Jones hasn’t done that once.
With as much running as he’s done on an injured ankle, Jones looks healthy now. But the production still isn’t there.
“We’ve got to hit our targets a little better here,” Jones said, when asked to summarize the offense’s performance. “But no turnovers from my part, which is an improvement.”
He’s technically right, throwing no interceptions for the first time all year is an improvement.
But is it the standard? Will it be good enough to beat the remaining teams on the Patriots’ schedule?
Part of the issue, Jones explained, is that the Patriots have started drives slow and put themselves in a hole with negative plays.
“We’re just in long yard situations way too often,” Jones said. “It’s the NFL. These guys are pretty good. If you put yourself behind the sticks, your percentages plummet. It is what it is. You’ve got to fight through it and figure out a way to be better on first and second down. That helps on third down.”
And part of it is on the offensive line, which let Jones get sacked four times and pressured plenty more.
“They have a good defense. The front’s tough,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. “They gave us some problems. So collectively, as a team, we had some trouble for sure. Some negative runs, and there was some pressure. Didn’t turn the ball over. Fumbled it, but didn’t turn the ball over in the passing game, so that was good.”
But Jones is responsible for the reads he makes. Today, while he didn’t make any that were bad enough to result in a turnover, he did make quite a few that were too slow to make the proper play.
“A lot of those sacks too, it’s just on me to get the ball out to the open guy.,” Jones said. “Doesn’t have to be an explosive play every time.”
Jones did have one throw that stood out, a 30-yard completion to Hunter Henry. He completed two-thirds of his passes and hit Rhamondre Stevenson for a 3-yard touchdown pass.
Jones said Joe Judge and Matt Patricia are showing up early every day trying to help him.
With the regular-season more than halfway over, there’s a decent sample size at this point. But, Jones still seems optimistic that he and the Patriots can turn things around.
“We’re still growing together,” Jones said. “It’s not going to be a perfect picture every play. But as long as I’m doing my part, the guys around me are trying to do their part, we’ll be in a good spot.”
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