Bill Belichick mum on the future of Mac Jones

BOSTON -- Was Sunday's loss in Germany the final chapter of Mac Jones as the starting quarterback of the New England Patriots? Bill Belichick wouldn't say after the team's 10-6 defeat at the hands of the Indianapolis Colts.

"We'll worry about next week, next week," Belichick said in his brief postgame press conference from Frankfurt.  

Jones continued his season-long trend of making mistakes and terrible decisions at the worst possible time, capped off by another red-zone interception as the Patriots were looking to take a late lead. Jones went looking for Mike Gesicki in the end zone from the Indianapolis 15-yard line, but he made an awful throw that was well short of its desired destination, and it landed in the hands of Julian Blackmon to end the scoring threat -- and Jones' afternoon.

"Just a terrible throw," a dejected Jones said at the podium. "Practiced it and hit it in practice, but not a good throw. I knew where to go, just didn't do it right."

When the Patriots got the ball back with 1:52 left, it was Bailey Zappe who took the field. Jones gave the offense some words of encouragement as they took the field, but the drive ended when Zappe threw into a sea of Colts defenders in the middle of the field and was picked off. 

That kind of sums up New England's quarterback situation. Jones has regressed and is costing the team games. The "Zappe Magic" of last season looks like it was just a mirage and the second-year QB is not a viable answer. After those two, it's just Will Grier and QB/WR Malik Cunningham on the depth chart.

Jones may be back out there simply because of a lack of options. But the Patriots may have no choice but to make a change at the most important position on the field.

Jones had just the one interception on the day, but he was lucky there weren't others. He threw to a double-covered Hunter Henry on another red zone play and was fortunate Indianapolis didn't pick off that pass. He also threw an ill-advised two-handed shovel to Rhamondre Stevenson in the flat after avoiding a sack, and was lucky the running back got a hand on it to break up a potential pick-six by the Colts to start the second half.

The backbreaking, red-zone interceptions are an absolute killer and a surefire way to land your fanny on the bench. But Jones also missed several open receivers throughout the game, which drew the ire and fire from offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien.

The interception was the final straw for Belichick on Sunday, leading to Jones' third benching of the season.

"I just thought it was time for a change," he said of the move. 

When asked if he still has faith in Jones as the team's starting quarterback, he was even more coy than when asked about Jones' future at the position.

"I have faith in all of our players," snorted Belichick.

Jones' teammates didn't want to try to get into the mind of Belichick when asked about the future at quarterback, but they offered up support for Jones.

"He's gotta stay positive," said longtime captain Matthew Slater. "I'm sure there is a lot of negativity -- there is a lot of negativity surrounding our team. We can't let that dictate how we operate our team day to day. He has to stay positive, ignore the noise and keep his head down. Keep working, just like the rest of us."

Jones said that he still has faith in himself, but now it's up to him to make sure everyone around him feels the same way. That will come if he starts to make plays on the field.

"At the end of the day I have to play better. To make people believe, I have to be better," he said. 

Will that opportunity come as the starting quarterback of the New England Patriots, or as a backup on the practice field? Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like we'll have that answer until after the team's bye week.