Patriots
“I do really feel like I’ve a whole lot of respect from the fellows.”
Patriots QB Mac Jones appeared on WEEI’s “Jones & Mego” present on Monday, relating quite a lot of matters — together with his teammates’ confidence in him, Jakobi Meyers, DeVante Parker’s expensive drop, and extra.
Listed here are a couple of highlights from Jones’ prolonged radio interview:
Jones pushes again on discuss of teammates dropping religion in him
The case might be made that the 2023 Patriots season has already been misplaced, particularly after New England dropped two-straight video games towards comparatively pedestrian opponents within the Saints and Raiders in Weeks 5 and 6.
However even earlier than New England dropped a 21-17 contest in Vegas on Sunday night, a story has been brewing relating to Jones and his standing on the prime of New England’s depth chart.
After getting benched in back-to-back losses to Dallas and New Orleans, Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald noted during a radio spot with “Jones & Mego” last Friday that “a minimum of a couple of, however most likely many” members of the Patriots’ group had been “firmly out” on Jones as QB1.
When requested about these experiences on Monday, Jones pushed again towards the assertion that he’s misplaced the belief of his teammates amid New England’s 1-5 begin to the brand new season.
“Yeah, I do,” Jones stated when requested if he believes his teammates nonetheless have belief in him. “I’ve a whole lot of respect for the fellows on our group. I’ve been with these guys for, a few of them, three years, and a few of them I performed with in faculty or whatnot. I do really feel like I’ve a whole lot of respect from the fellows.
“There’s a whole lot of issues I wish to do higher as a participant, and that’ll actually change some issues. However on the finish of the day, I’ve acquired to maintain working, they’ve acquired to maintain working, and I do know they may, similar to all of us are. I do know it sucks and it’s irritating, however on the similar time, you’ve acquired to maintain going ahead and see who desires to battle.”
Even when Jones hasn’t misplaced his base of help in New England’s locker room, it stays to be seen how Jones and the Patriots can proper the ship amid quite a few points relating to porous O-line play, accidents up entrance, subpar playmakers, suspect teaching, and Jones’ personal lapses so far as determination making.
Regardless that Jones didn’t spend many of the second half of Sunday’s loss to the Raiders stapled to the bench, he was nonetheless knocked for a brutal interception that resulted in one other three factors for Vegas.
Jones has now been knocked for 5 interceptions in New England’s final three losses with zero touchdowns.
“I don’t give attention to that stuff,” Jones replied when requested if he’s frightened about dropping help with extra losses. “I actually simply give attention to displaying as much as work each day, making an attempt to be constructive, actually simply working exhausting and discovering out solutions to the check. There are a whole lot of issues that can pop up, and my objective is to determine how will we clear up these issues.
“It’s all about problem-solving, and we simply should proceed to try this. Each week is totally different. Clearly, there’s a whole lot of issues we have to do higher.”
Coping with a “quick leash”
Callahan’s report was one among many narratives hanging over Jones going into Sunday’s matchup in Sin Metropolis.
Hours earlier than kick-off at Allegiant Stadium, NFL Community’s Ian Rapoport reported that Jones was going to be on a “quick leash” towards the Raiders, particularly after back-to-back benchings.
“A poor opening few sequence may doubtlessly set off one other QB to take snaps in Las Vegas,” Rapoport wrote.
In the end, Jones remained as New England’s main starter all through Sunday’s loss, with New England’s backup QB in Malik Cunningham utilized in additional of a gadget position with simply six whole snaps.
On Monday, Jones was requested if having such a brief leash and slim margin for error could make it tough for any QB to reach the NFL ranks.
“Um, no,” Jones. “Simply because I don’t actually take note of that stuff. Clearly, we discuss it in interviews and reveals. For me, I simply wish to go on the market and try to execute a little bit bit higher every week and get higher. Each week’s totally different. Some weeks you’re gonna run the ball rather a lot or play motion rather a lot, and a few weeks you’re going to throw and do all these issues.
“It simply is determined by the week and I strive to not give attention to all the feelings from the surface and actually simply give attention to the group, as a result of I actually care concerning the group and I actually do have a extremely good relationship with a whole lot of the fellows. We wish to do higher. We’re making an attempt, we’re working, and we simply gotta proceed to try this.”
Meyers burns Patriots in Vegas
One participant who may assist Jones and the Patriots is Jakobi Meyers, who served as New England’s most reliable receiver for the earlier three seasons earlier than the group opted to let him stroll in free company.
Meyers, who signed with the Raiders again in March, doled out some revenge towards his former membership on Sunday, reeling in 5 catches on seven targets en path to 61 receiving yards and a landing towards New England.
Meyers is now as much as 30 catches, 335 receiving yards, and 4 touchdowns in 5 video games with Las Vegas — with the previous undrafted free agent out of NC State on tempo for profession highs in catches (85), yards (949) and touchdowns (11) together with his new group.
In the meantime, New England’s prime two receivers in JuJu Smith-Schuster and DeVante Parker have mixed for simply 222 receiving yards and 0 touchdowns to date this season.
“I talked to Jakobi and it’s a part of the NFL, proper? I imply, there’s at all times the draft and there’s at all times free company, so it’s at all times robust to maintain all of your groups collectively,” Jones stated of Meyers leaving New England in free company. “However I’ve a whole lot of respect for Jakobi.
“Like I stated, he’s one among my closest associates across the NFL and he’s an ideal participant. So actually simply take pleasure in watching him and all of the stuff that he does on movie, on the sector and and likewise off the sector. Only a good man and all that.”
Parker’s expensive drop
On an evening the place New England got here up simply in need of a much-needed win, DeVante Parker’s brutal drop on the Patriots’ last drive at Allegiant Stadium looms giant.
Trailing 19-17 with New England by itself 9-yard line with 1:59 left, Jones uncorked a deep ball on second-and-11 for Parker, who was unable to reel it in.
Had Parker snagged the ball, it could have given the Patriots the ball near the Raiders’ 45-yard line, and in place to run a couple of extra performs to get into field-goal vary. As an alternative, New England’s offense stalled as soon as once more, with a security towards Jones sealing the win for the Raiders.
Jones was requested about Parker’s expensive drop on Monday and the way a lot it looms over yet one more failed fourth-quarter comeback for New England.
“Yeah, DP’s achieved an ideal job,” Jones stated. “He’s an excellent deep menace, in-cut runner and all these issues. So he did a whole lot of actually good issues and I’ve all the religion in him on the planet. So it’s only one little sport.
“On the finish of the day, we’re gonna preserve working, get the timing down and all that stuff. So you’ll be able to’t put it on one particular person or one play. On the finish of the day, it’s all of us collectively. And we’re going to stay collectively, as a result of that’s what good groups do.”
Publication Signup
Keep updated on all the newest information from Boston.com
