The Patriots used to be the team that had an answer for everything. Answers have proven elusive for the Patriots during this *annus horribilis* for the Hoodie. But Bill Belichick and Co. have gotten one definitive answer this season. It’s just not the one they hoped for.
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Mac Jones isn’t the answer at quarterback. He’s not the franchise quarterback for the future, and he shouldn’t be the starting quarterback of the present. Mac is a mess. He’s broken. The coach-quarterback relationship he shares with Belichick is busted, as is their trust in one another after the last three weeks, which included two disheartening losses and one bizarre and shambolic process of preparing a starting quarterback for Sunday’s game against the Giants.
It’s over, and so should Jones’s reign as starting quarterback. It’s time to move on. That’s not because Bailey Zappe represents a better option — it’s marginal at best — but because continuing to put Jones through this psychological wringer is cruel and unusual punishment, and, like the team’s offense, totally unproductive.
Jones was yanked yet again for Zappe, for the second consecutive game and the fourth time this season. This time the Hoodie Hook came at halftime with the team scoreless and Mac 12 of 21 for 89 yards with a pair of ghastly interceptions. The second pick came with the Patriots in field goal range and set up New York’s only touchdown after Bobby Okereke returned the errant pass to the New England 26.
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It was pick 12 for Jones. No. 12 was once a magic number for the Patriots passing game. Now, it’s an integer of ineptitude.
“Just bad quarterback play. It wasn’t good enough by me, so if the quarterback doesn’t play well you got no chance,” Jones said.
Why did we think the Patriots would be able to replace Tom Brady on their first real try with their first real candidate?
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It’s clear that Jones is not a successful successor to Brady. The Patriots will have to go back into the draft or try to pick off a quarterback via trade or free agency to return to respectability.
​
The plan was to salvage Jones with old/new offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien. Instead, this year’s offense makes the Matt Patricia one look like the Air Coryell Chargers. Jones is beyond fixing, at least in Foxborough.
​
His QB circuitry is fried and so is his confidence. The more the Patriots drill him not to make mistakes, the more mistake-prone and tentative he becomes. You can thank Belichick for some of that.
As long as Mac gives us the best chance to lose, play him.
groundbreaking stuff from Gasper.
What I don’t get… how do both of these quarterbacks look unplayable now? Even early on in this season, Mac looked good. We’ve seen them both play better. I just don’t get what has happened. Neither are functional anymore. It feels like Mac throws 5 interceptable balls a game and Zappe basically can’t complete a pass beyound the line of scrimage. Brutal
Clearly Zappe is worse and isn’t trusted to even throw the ball down field so we should play him rest of season and secure maye.
We’ve just handled this whole thing so bizarrely. Both Mac and Zappe are awful but pick one and deal with it instead of starting a guy and benching him halfway through.
Clearly whatever Mac shows in practice is not translating to the field. He started the year okay but after the Jets game he’s just shell-shocked or something and the decisions he’s making are abhorrent. Those balls being thrown directly into the path of DBs are inexcusable.
Get rid of OBrien too, what a bust of a hire. How did Mac regress from looking pretty decent against the Eagles and Dolphins early to this crap? At some point the coaching staff has to answer for this. OBriens playcalling at Alabama was suspect and I just think his style is outdated.
Wipe the whole damn side of the offense including Troy Brown. There has to be a connection with shitty WR play and him coaching them.
Anyone else think Mac might be looking to get out? It would not be a good career move but maybe staying beyond this year would be torture for him. He deserves a try somewhere else, it ain’t working here.
Yea..let’s wait after the season, Mac is helping us get that top draft pick, don’t want to win any meaningless games now.
If only we had a young exciting QB who overperformed in preseason and would totally reshape our offense
To who?
“Just put in a better QB forehead” people ready to tell you to put in the same QB with a different name
As bad as Mac is, he is also probably the best qb on the roster. As such he must not start.
It’s kinda hilarious looking back at last year’s war between Mac Truthers and Zappe Nation. These boys were having a mid off 🔥🔥
The only right move is to lose every game
Not defending him because he has played like ass the last 2 years, but the expectations of him coming in and being Tom Brady must be tough on him. This subreddit and every fan demands playoffs and damn near perfection.
Whoever replaces Mac will have a much easier time in NE because they just have to be “better than Mac”
The question is, do you shop him around and keep Zappe as the backup or cut/shop Zappe and keep Mac as the backup.
Thats not an answer tho. Zappe sucks too. The only answer is the draft next year. I don’t care if its Zappe or Mac tanking us.
Give Grier a shot
I was one of the last Mac supporters, and I agree, it’s time to bench him and let him go at the end of the season. His future depends on it and he’ll never be good again in this uniform. He and the team need fresh starts.
I can’t believe I named my Xbox Live username after him
Bill said he’s not bringing anyone from outside, so start Mac and let’s get that pic!
But please draft MHJ first
Been saying that for weeks
He’s just broken, there’s no salvaging it. Keeping him in is only useful in securing the next guy at quarterback via the draft.
Clearly Brady was the reason for superbowl rings, not Belichick
26 comments
From [Globe.com](http://globe.com)
By Christopher L. Gasper
The Patriots used to be the team that had an answer for everything. Answers have proven elusive for the Patriots during this *annus horribilis* for the Hoodie. But Bill Belichick and Co. have gotten one definitive answer this season. It’s just not the one they hoped for.
​
Mac Jones isn’t the answer at quarterback. He’s not the franchise quarterback for the future, and he shouldn’t be the starting quarterback of the present. Mac is a mess. He’s broken. The coach-quarterback relationship he shares with Belichick is busted, as is their trust in one another after the last three weeks, which included two disheartening losses and one bizarre and shambolic process of preparing a starting quarterback for Sunday’s game against the Giants.
It’s over, and so should Jones’s reign as starting quarterback. It’s time to move on. That’s not because Bailey Zappe represents a better option — it’s marginal at best — but because continuing to put Jones through this psychological wringer is cruel and unusual punishment, and, like the team’s offense, totally unproductive.
After all the intrigue and obfuscation regarding naming a starting quarterback, [Jones started Sunday’s 10-7 loss](https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/11/26/sports/quarterback-controversy-continues-swirl-it-really-doesnt-matter-patriots-stink/?p1=Article_Inline_Text_Link). He didn’t finish it. MetLife Stadium may go down as the Waterloo of his Patriots career.
Jones was yanked yet again for Zappe, for the second consecutive game and the fourth time this season. This time the Hoodie Hook came at halftime with the team scoreless and Mac 12 of 21 for 89 yards with a pair of ghastly interceptions. The second pick came with the Patriots in field goal range and set up New York’s only touchdown after Bobby Okereke returned the errant pass to the New England 26.
​
It was pick 12 for Jones. No. 12 was once a magic number for the Patriots passing game. Now, it’s an integer of ineptitude.
“Just bad quarterback play. It wasn’t good enough by me, so if the quarterback doesn’t play well you got no chance,” Jones said.
Why did we think the Patriots would be able to replace Tom Brady on their first real try with their first real candidate?
​
It’s clear that Jones is not a successful successor to Brady. The Patriots will have to go back into the draft or try to pick off a quarterback via trade or free agency to return to respectability.
​
The plan was to salvage Jones with old/new offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien. Instead, this year’s offense makes the Matt Patricia one look like the Air Coryell Chargers. Jones is beyond fixing, at least in Foxborough.
​
His QB circuitry is fried and so is his confidence. The more the Patriots drill him not to make mistakes, the more mistake-prone and tentative he becomes. You can thank Belichick for some of that.
As long as Mac gives us the best chance to lose, play him.
groundbreaking stuff from Gasper.
What I don’t get… how do both of these quarterbacks look unplayable now? Even early on in this season, Mac looked good. We’ve seen them both play better. I just don’t get what has happened. Neither are functional anymore. It feels like Mac throws 5 interceptable balls a game and Zappe basically can’t complete a pass beyound the line of scrimage. Brutal
Clearly Zappe is worse and isn’t trusted to even throw the ball down field so we should play him rest of season and secure maye.
We’ve just handled this whole thing so bizarrely. Both Mac and Zappe are awful but pick one and deal with it instead of starting a guy and benching him halfway through.
Clearly whatever Mac shows in practice is not translating to the field. He started the year okay but after the Jets game he’s just shell-shocked or something and the decisions he’s making are abhorrent. Those balls being thrown directly into the path of DBs are inexcusable.
Get rid of OBrien too, what a bust of a hire. How did Mac regress from looking pretty decent against the Eagles and Dolphins early to this crap? At some point the coaching staff has to answer for this. OBriens playcalling at Alabama was suspect and I just think his style is outdated.
Wipe the whole damn side of the offense including Troy Brown. There has to be a connection with shitty WR play and him coaching them.
Anyone else think Mac might be looking to get out? It would not be a good career move but maybe staying beyond this year would be torture for him. He deserves a try somewhere else, it ain’t working here.
Yea..let’s wait after the season, Mac is helping us get that top draft pick, don’t want to win any meaningless games now.
If only we had a young exciting QB who overperformed in preseason and would totally reshape our offense
To who?
“Just put in a better QB forehead” people ready to tell you to put in the same QB with a different name
As bad as Mac is, he is also probably the best qb on the roster. As such he must not start.
It’s kinda hilarious looking back at last year’s war between Mac Truthers and Zappe Nation. These boys were having a mid off 🔥🔥
The only right move is to lose every game
Not defending him because he has played like ass the last 2 years, but the expectations of him coming in and being Tom Brady must be tough on him. This subreddit and every fan demands playoffs and damn near perfection.
Whoever replaces Mac will have a much easier time in NE because they just have to be “better than Mac”
The question is, do you shop him around and keep Zappe as the backup or cut/shop Zappe and keep Mac as the backup.
Thats not an answer tho. Zappe sucks too. The only answer is the draft next year. I don’t care if its Zappe or Mac tanking us.
Give Grier a shot
I was one of the last Mac supporters, and I agree, it’s time to bench him and let him go at the end of the season. His future depends on it and he’ll never be good again in this uniform. He and the team need fresh starts.
I can’t believe I named my Xbox Live username after him
Bill said he’s not bringing anyone from outside, so start Mac and let’s get that pic!
But please draft MHJ first
Been saying that for weeks
He’s just broken, there’s no salvaging it. Keeping him in is only useful in securing the next guy at quarterback via the draft.
Clearly Brady was the reason for superbowl rings, not Belichick