Key Players [Mac Jones/others] Isn't/Aren't Ready to Play

[catent]

I think this has been true the past couple of seasons. Too many games they are coming out slow and tentative. The coaches and team leaders need to figure this out because it’s really hurting them. It seems like they are always making late runs and coming up short.

I seriously wonder about pregame nutrition. I worry they’re serving these guys big meals / carb loads hours before games, hence the lethargy, sluggishness, lack of energy. They just look half-asleep and heavy-footed too often … which is very similar to how one feels after a big meal.

 

[upstater1]

this is not a defense of mac.

but how anyone can watch the games and ignore the elephant in the room and say receivers/OL is fine this is all on mac i don't understand. mac may not be the guy. but we are not losing because our offense/talent is amazing and he just cant run it....and all we need to do is plug someone else in and all of a sudden its amazing

no one will tell me what qb is going to excel with this cast. they wont because it blows up their narrative and they know the team is average. and god forbid anyone criticize the guy picking the groceries. bill wouldnt even pay hopkins 12million. but we have juju on one leg beaten out by a rookie

I just need the QB to be in control of the offense. I need him to be able to run it without the defense getting the snap timed every single time, with running starts at the OL, I need the QB to stand in there and not throw inaccurately off his back foot. I've never questioned Mac's arm or his mobility. I've always said I don't want to go chasing QBs every year and that I'd be fine with Kirk Cousins. Although now I admit I'm very concerned about Mac throwing deep balls.

People are making too much of Hopkins. He's not what he was. He was toast last year. Criticize Belichick for the drafts, like Tyquan over Pickens, but the pickings in the FA market are slim. This is why we paid a bundle for Algholor.

I don't think Mac is helping himself; he's not playing optimally.

You know it is possible for an offense to have only average WRs and for the QB to not be playing as well as he should. Both can be true.

 

[jdlboot14]

They are definitely better than last year despite the record. Our fans might not notice but other teams players and coaches know it. So far they have kept up the fight and made the games competitive and interesting. If they are going to beat the Patriots they have to play hard because They are not an easy out. I was expecting a slow start and a record of 1-3 to 2-5 out the gate and it looks like it may be worse?

At least the offense has a direction and the defense is showing promise. Gonzales looks lock down and all 3 Jones will be back eventually. Oline needs to be solved if this team is going to do anything this season. Without it, this offense will never be able to play catch up with some of the teams on the schedule. 25 and 24 points allowed against elite offenses should at least keep you in todays game which again, puts all the focus on offense, same as last year.

Year 4 for Mac and he looks no better than Daniel Jones. I’d hate to see them pony up his type of contract for the type of production he’s put out. He’s got 15 more games to make things right and hopefully the coaches put him in a position to succeed. Fix the oline asap and let’s see what he can do. Promising that when he has had time to throw he has been able to throw some pretty good looking deep balls. He just needs another second or two before he starts to connect imo.

You started off good...
But, this is year 3 for Mac. And he's ahead of Daniel Jones. (then again, D. Jones has been decent when his OL was playing well)
When Mac has had time to throw, he's been good. Like any QB at this level.
Which bothers me about our DL/scheme... There were times that Hurts and Tua had over 5 seconds to stand back there and find someone.

 

[203Pat]

The buck stops with Bill. He's responsible for surrounding his young QB with some kind of top tier talent. He has not done so.

Look, there's plenty of blame pie to go around. People want to say it's this ONE thing that's responsible for the failings of the Pats in the Mac era. It's as a former Red Sox GM said "Multifactorial". Bill gets the biggest slice since he's the guy in charge of the front office and on the sidelines. Does Mac get a piece of the blame pie? Absolutely but a much smaller one than BB.

So then one of them has to go. If Mac is limited by his surroundings and Bill won't upgrade on offense then we are just going to go in circles until one is gone.

 

[archstanton543]

So then one of them has to go. If Mac is limited by his surroundings and Bill won't upgrade on offense then we are just going to go in circles until one is gone.

I agree and I think if you loaded up Mac with sodium pentothol he'd probably tell you'd he'd rather be on a team like Miami with two elite threats and a good O-line.

If BB isn't going to change his team building philosophy (and at his age, I highly doubt he will), you're going to get what you're going to get with this Pats team until he retires or he drafts another all-time QB that can elevate mediocre talent.

 

[203Pat]

I agree and I think if you loaded up Mac with sodium pentothol he'd probably tell you'd he'd rather be on a team like Miami with two elite threats and a good O-line.

If BB isn't going to change his team building philosophy (and at his age, I highly doubt he will), you're going to get what you're going to get with this Pats team until he retires or he drafts another all-time QB that can elevate mediocre talent.

Honestly I think that if we don't make the playoffs this year Bill "retires" and the new coach gets a year or so to figure out if Mac can be a franchise QB. I would rather tear it down to the studs and start over and deal with the rough 2-3 years than just keep trying to live on the fringes of the playoffs.

 

[mike_usagisan]

Honestly I think that if we don't make the playoffs this year Bill "retires" and the new coach gets a year or so to figure out if Mac can be a franchise QB. I would rather tear it down to the studs and start over and deal with the rough 2-3 years than just keep trying to live on the fringes of the playoffs.

Right, but a lot of places, those rough 2-3 years ends up being 6-7 and then they get lucky and make it to the fringes of the playoffs.

 

[lancerman]

Foles was also playing at an extremely high level during that postseason, particularly in the Super Bowl itself.

His play during that stretch was better than anything we’ve seen from Jones thus far.

Team was probably the most talented in the NFL that year and Foles, like a certain Eli Manning, is streaky as hell and put together one of the all time great post season runs for a QB.

 

[catent]

I seriously wonder about pregame nutrition. I worry they’re serving these guys big meals / carb loads hours before games, hence the lethargy, sluggishness, lack of energy. They just look half-asleep and heavy-footed too often … which is very similar to how one feels after a big meal.

Folks laugh at this post - likely to indirectly express their rage at me that I dare to not think highly of Mac Jones - but I think it could have real merit.

The Patriots posted a video of their nutrition team. They have a head nutritionist, they prepare meals for the players, these meals are served to the team. I recall - perhaps wrongly - that they served the team a larger dinner before an evening game; I'd need to rewatch the video, it's been awhile.

Laugh if you wish but this stuff is real.

Nutrition/diet aside, I'm absolutely gobsmacked by the lengths folks go to defend Jones, as if he's earned the benefit of the doubt or has accomplished anything meaningful since joining the team that should earn him loyalty. He's certainly not the only problem, but the lengths folks go to prop him up are truly unbelievable.

 

[203Pat]

Right, but a lot of places, those rough 2-3 years ends up being 6-7 and then they get lucky and make it to the fringes of the playoffs.

I would rather swing for the fences and miss then try and string together a few singles and hope for the best. We are already in year 4 of life after Brady and if we were building towards something with all the .500 seasons I would be all for it but we seem to just be bobbing in the water. There has been no direction to this "rebuild". A bridge QB, a spending spree, a completely asinine decision at OC, and now 0-2 with a solid defense and bad offense.

 

[mike_usagisan]

I would rather swing for the fences and miss then try and string together a few singles and hope for the best. We are already in year 4 of life after Brady and if we were building towards something with all the .500 seasons I would be all for it but we seem to just be bobbing in the water. There has been no direction to this "rebuild". A bridge QB, a spending spree, a completely asinine decision at OC, and now 0-2 with a solid defense and bad offense.

Granted, I am a helpless homer, but I feel like we're a good WR and better OTs away from a halfway decent playoff team. But I know others look at it differently.

I just think if we blow it up and start again, it's going to be a LOT worse for a LOT longer than the already frustrated fans think.

 

[stardawg]

The problem with Mac is we have no solid answer on whether he can be a franchise QB and we still won’t learn it this season. If the line sucks and his receivers are subpar, we don’t have an answer. His receivers, outside of Douglas, can’t make something out of nothing and take a little pressure off.

I think the general feeling is that he is a middle of the road QB which isn’t good enough. He has failed, with many chances, to make one signature drive to win a game. His arm is

That all lies on Bill the GM's poor draft history since 2014. The only Pro Bowlers/All Pro's he's drafted since then were on special teams. That eventually catches up to you. Bill was at his best when he had Pioli and Floyd Reese.

"Never" is not true. Bill has been in position to trade up of take talented players for many years, but passed on them for a feel good player that he can "coach".

After a disastrous season last year for our offense, BB uses our first three draft picks on defense. Just an example...BB the GM is a big part of the problem.

 

[venecol]

I seriously wonder about pregame nutrition. I worry they’re serving these guys big meals / carb loads hours before games, hence the lethargy, sluggishness, lack of energy. They just look half-asleep and heavy-footed too often … which is very similar to how one feels after a big meal.

Not laughing at your post but made me think of this video.

 

[stardawg]

What’s more likely?

(A.) An 8 time Super Bowl champion arguable GOAT coach is making Mac Jones look bad?

(B.) Mac Jones is making an 8 time Super Bowl champion arguable GOAT coach look bad?

(C.) The talent and personnel on the offense are making GM BB look bad?

 

[sb1]

He's certainly not the only problem, but the lengths folks go to prop him up are truly unbelievable.

Dunno if anyone is really doing that. I think most of us are on the same page that we need to find out this year if he can be the guy going forward for this team.

 

[40yrpatsfan]

The weapons are fine. Mac is just not good enough

It's the injuries to the OL and you know it.

 

[SlowGettingUp]

 

[Kdo5]

After a disastrous season last year for our offense, BB uses our first three draft picks on defense. Just an example...BB the GM is a big part of the problem.

Didn’t care for the Mapu pick but #1 corner was a big need and they may have struck gold with Gonzo. Keion White has also made a big impression. In general though, you are correct.

 

[SlowGettingUp]

And here's our OL - these are miserable grades (Mafi was good):



Hopefully Trent is back at LT, and maybe Vedarian can move to RT.

 

[Kdo5]

And here's our OL - these are miserable grades (Mafi was good):



Hopefully Trent is back at LT, and maybe Vedarian can move to RT.

Gotta hope Onwenu & Strange do better with continuity, they get a bit of a pass this week for their absences throughout the offseason. The ship can still be righted but that requires all those starters getting and staying healthy. Unlikely.

I miss Scar.