Mac Jones not satisfied with his play in second NFL season
BOSTON -- A disappointing Patriots season came to a disappointing end Sunday afternoon with a 35-23 loss to the Bills in Buffalo. While the Patriots never really played like a playoff team at any point of the regular season, they were still in contention for the AFC's final Wild Card spot in Week 18.
But in the end, the 8-9 Patriots proved they just weren't good enough. Not good enough to keep up with the Bills, and not good enough to make the playoffs.
The offense played well for large stretches and had one of its best games of the season on Sunday, but ultimately ran out of steam as the Bills began to fire on all cylinders. It didn't help that New England's special teams spotted the Bills 14 points by allowing a pair of kickoff returns, but the offense had its opportunities throughout the game. They didn't make the most of them all, and it cost them.
Mac Jones had one of his finest games of his second NFL season, completing 26 of his 40 passes for 243 yards and three touchdowns. He was nearly perfect in the first half, going 13-for-16 for 119 yards and two of his touchdowns. He was perfect on New England's three touchdown drives, connecting on all 17 of his passes.
But he also threw three interceptions in the second half, including one in the end zone. While they weren't all on the quarterback, it's hard to keep up with the Bills when you give the ball away like that, especially with Josh Allen throwing a pair of long touchdowns on back-to-back drives.
Jones needs to be better, and he knows that. He was not happy that New England's season came to an end on Sunday, and he certainly wasn't happy with his own play throughout the season. Jones told reporters that he was pleased with the fight and toughness that the Patriots showed in Buffalo, but it's clear that they need a lot of improvement and a lot more consistency if they want to compete with the true contenders.
"I'm proud of the guys and wouldn't trade them for anyone. There are great people in that locker room. It wasn't our day, and we have to have better resolve than that," said Jones. "We fought hard, but it's tough. It's over. Nothing you can do but just watch the tape and get ready to try to become a better football player, I guess."
It was a tumultuous second NFL season for Jones. He lost Josh McDaniels as his offensive coordinator and quarterback coach, with the inexperienced Matt Patricia and Joe Judge taking over those two very important spots. The offense didn't click in training camp, the preseason, or the opening weeks of the season.
Then Jones suffered an ankle injury in Week 3 that cost him three games. He didn't look great when he returned in Week 7 against the Bears and was replaced by Bailey Zappe after two series. New England was embarrassed by Chicago -- who earned the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 draft -- at home on national television that evening.
The Pats turned things around after that, winning four of six before dropping three of their last four to close the season. And there were strong games from Mac along the way, like his 382-yard night against the Vikings on Thanksgiving and his efficient two-touchdown game against the Dolphins in a must-win Week 17 showdown. But overall, it was a substandard season for Jones.
He completed just 65.2 percent of his passes, down from his 67.6 completion percentage as a rookie. Jones threw for over 3,800 yards last season, but just 2,997 yards in Year 2. His 22 touchdowns as a rookie dropped to just 14, and his QB rating fell from 92.5 to 84.8.
Jones made it clear after Sunday's loss that he is not satisfied with second season as a pro. What flustered him most was that his team once again struggled down the stretch, capped off by more losses in must-win situations.
"Obviously, you look at each year and you want to get better as a player. I did and learned a lot, and I think a lot of guys on the team learned a lot. But it wasn't the progress any of us wanted to make. It starts with me," he said. "We have to play better toward the end of the season, win these games to move on. That's how every season is going to be in the NFL.
"You want to win every game you play in. You want to win the tough ones. We didn't get a chance to do that," he added. "As the quarterback I put the blame on me; it's my offense and my group of guys and we have to put a better product out there."
As center David Andrews said after Sunday's loss, there are no participate trophies in the NFL. It's win it all, or win nothing at all.
Changes will be made this offseason, with all eyes on New England's offensive coaching staff. Maybe with better leadership on the sideline, Jones can have a solid bounce-back season in Year 3.
But he wasn't singling out anything -- or anyone -- as the reason the offense struggled throughout the year on Sunday. All everyone can do now is learn from what went wrong, and come back stronger next season.
