Another Taboo Elephant! [Mac Jones playing well in SF]

[TheRainMaker]

.....you wanted Watson? *eyebrows raised* Hell of a take.

Watson was the most accomplished QB going into the draft. Saying they should've taken Mahomes would've been a ******** after the fact take. He was a similar to a Trey Lance or Trubisky "boom/bust" pick that Andy Reid had to be convinced by Brett Veach to take at 10. In fact, Trubisky also had no business going #2 overall.

Watson was a very solid QB on a bad team with not so much of an offensive guru in O'Brien. He was a 3 time Pro Bowl QB and led the league in passing in 2020 before his suspension. For whatever reason, he has never been the same since taking a year off. He would've flourished under Shanahan.

Aldon Smith, the best that never was. Glad to see he's doing much, much better now, however it's fun to wonder how good he could've gotten. JJ Watt's defensive legacy could've been playing second fiddle to this guy had he stayed in.

The knock on Smith was that players were accusing Justin Smith of holding G's or T's so Smith could get free rush lanes on loops/stunts. There were times you could see that, but Smith proved more often than not that he could take on T's and bully them.

Interesting, do you think they're great at building teams? Of course there is FA as well, however, as a person who does not pay much attention to SF, it always feels to me they have always have one or two of the premier offensive weapons, a functional QB behind a versatile pass/run game, and are always fighting. But again, this is from the outside.

Overall, I think they've done a solid job and they had no business losing the 3 Super Bowls they were in. In fact, they should've gone back in 2013. When Harbaugh took over, they already had a very solid foundation with standouts such as Patrick Willis, Navaro Bowman and a elite supporting DL eerily similar to the early 2000s Pats. They played a 3-4 and many times they were pushing pockets with a 3 man rushes. Ahamd Brooks (FA) was very Vrabel/Ninkovich esque who showed up in key moments. Their CB's were solid, but their S's in Donte Whitner (FA addition) and DaShon Goldson would lay WR's out! People talk about the "Legion of Boom", but the 49ers defenses were better.

Offensively, they had solid pieces on the O-line such as Joe Staley, Mike Iupati and added Anthony Davis (draft) with Alex Boone as another solid OL. Frank Gore was obviously their best offensive player and Vernon Davis was emerging as the player many thought he'd be, but Alex Smith was viewed as a bust and Michael Crabtree was meh. Ted Ginn Jr. was a fantastic addition.

With that said, the well is starting to run dry. Their last 5 drafts have been awful. Trent Williams is going to retire any time now with Kittle and McCaffery getting up there with the wear and tear. Fred Warner is now out with a season ending injury.

 

[Nehalem]

They were cap strapped

Which makes paying $15m for a LG when you have no qb worth protecting really weird

 

[BennyBledsoe]

Taking a year off is an interesting way to put being suspended for 20+ sexual assault complaints.

 

[upstater1]

Which makes paying $15m for a LG when you have no qb worth protecting really weird

They should have given Thuney even more to stay.

In 2021, they had a ton of money.

They bit the bullet. It was part of the plan for a team that was extremely old in 2019.

Getting Josh McCown 2 wasnt going to help the team.

 

[WhatJustHappened]

They should have given Thuney even more to stay.

In 2021, they had a ton of money.

They bit the bullet. It was part of the plan for a team that was extremely old in 2019.

Getting Josh McCown 2 wasnt going to help the team.

How much did you expect to pay him? He was looking expecting a big payday.
He got it.
How's he looking today?

 

[stcjones]

I’ve said for awhile that I thought Mr Irrelevant was overrated and that he inherited Christian McCaffrey and a loaded offense, great OL and defense. His first year they were poised to win SB that’s how loaded they were….Mac is a very similar QB to him and stepped right in and is performing well….with a decent OL but not as great and less weapons especially WR…..McCaffrey still keeps D’s on their toes…..I’m happy for Mac as I feel like BB set him up for failure here with the Moe and Larry offensive coordinator plan and Bill Obrien wasn’t much better after that ….and NO weapons at all during his years here….we shall see but wish him luck

 

[KCSVEN]

Mac Jones is playing OK in a perfect system for him. Doesn't have to do much outside the first read.
That being said 2 picks, a fumble and 6 sacks seems like an odd time to say he's playing well.

Like all NFL QB's. except Anthony Richardson, if you give him time and an open receiver, not too far down the field, Mac can make the throws. Perfect backup QB, or bottom half starter while you wait for a good QB.
Should have a long career and good for him.

 

[sb1]

Mac Jones is playing OK in a perfect system for him. Doesn't have to do much outside the first read.
That being said 2 picks, a fumble and 6 sacks seems like an odd time to say he's playing well.

Like all NFL QB's. except Anthony Richardson, if you give him time and an open receiver, not too far down the field, Mac can make the throws. Perfect backup QB, or bottom half starter while you wait for a good QB.
Should have a long career and good for him.

Backup is a great gig in the NFL. He'll make a ton of money doing that over his career.

 

[upstater1]

I’ve said for awhile that I thought Mr Irrelevant was overrated and that he inherited Christian McCaffrey and a loaded offense, great OL and defense. His first year they were poised to win SB that’s how loaded they were….Mac is a very similar QB to him and stepped right in and is performing well….with a decent OL but not as great and less weapons especially WR…..McCaffrey still keeps D’s on their toes…..I’m happy for Mac as I feel like BB set him up for failure here with the Moe and Larry offensive coordinator plan and Bill Obrien wasn’t much better after that ….and NO weapons at all during his years here….we shall see but wish him luck

Purdy's numbers are way better than Mac's in that offense. But we have a very small sample so far.

Mac will always revert to being himself, and that's interception prone in crucial moments, and also turtles under pressure.

 

[ScottishPatriots]

Purdy's numbers are way better than Mac's in that offense. But we have a very small sample so far.

Mac will always revert to being himself, and that's interception prone in crucial moments, and also turtles under pressure.

Purdy also has the ability to do the things that have been proven to win big games that Mac Jones will never be able to do which is scramble and buy time and make big plays down the field.

Everything has to be perfect for Mac to function when he's under pressure he's still going to panic make a bad decision and throw a pick or fumble, he could have easily had 5 turnovers at the weekend.

 

[Guts]

SF was always the team that fit Mac Jones. Jones is good within rhythm and thats all SF offense is

 

[Triumph]

SF has the 24th ranked offense. Not what Shanahan is looking for.

There will be calls for the firing of GM Lynch for letting Probowl Mac down.

 

[203Pat]

How much did you expect to pay him? He was looking expecting a big payday.
He got it.
How's he looking today?

Like one of the best pass blocking guards in the league.

 

[sb1]

SF was always the team that fit Mac Jones. Jones is good within rhythm and thats all SF offense is

When Jones was drafted it's funny that everyone said the BB Patriots were a perfect fit for him. Turns out they were the opposite and the perfect fit was in SF all along.

 

[Bill Lee]

Backup is a great gig in the NFL. He'll make a ton of money doing that over his career.

If nothing else, he's put enough film out there to show he can at least be a career backup.

The other factor though is he hopefully has matured as a human being. No one wants a nut-punching cry-baby in their locker room. That stuff can impact your longevity as a backup. Just be a cool dude like Clipboard Jesus and you'll make tons of money.

 

[sb1]

If nothing else, he's put enough film out there to show he can at least be a career backup.

The other factor though is he hopefully has matured as a human being. No one wants a nut-punching cry-baby in their locker room. That stuff can impact your longevity as a backup. Just be a cool dude like Clipboard Jesus and you'll make tons of money.

Yeah. I made excuses for him doing that at the time but not anymore. He's lucky someone didn't retaliate.

 

[203Pat]

If nothing else, he's put enough film out there to show he can at least be a career backup.

The other factor though is he hopefully has matured as a human being. No one wants a nut-punching cry-baby in their locker room. That stuff can impact your longevity as a backup. Just be a cool dude like Clipboard Jesus and you'll make tons of money.

I am a bad person but I enjoyed watching him getting smacked around like a piñata a couple weeks ago against the Rams lol.

 

[sb1]

How much of a toolbag do you have to be to wear a chain with your name studded on it lool

 

[patfanken]

Normally I'd pass on this discussion, given the nastiness it sometimes brings out, but something occurred to me while I read it. I was a Mac supporter, who decried how his Patriot experience turned out. He was easily the best QB of that 2021 rookie class under Josh and while not physically gifted he COULD have developed into a solid NFL starting QB who, with the right team, be a championship contender.

I blame Bill and Josh's leaving for turning him into the puddle we witnessed in the 2023 season. But that aside, there is ONE critical quality that Maye has that Mac doesn't, and it isn't arm strength or foot speed. It's the ability to make those around him better. Mac, on the other hand is the inverse. Those around him, make HIM better. This quality isn't something you can measure or quantify. It just IS.

In a parting remark, Mac's "crying" when his ankle got wacked is often used as an exemplar of his mental toughness or lack thereof. I've always seen it differently. I saw it as a kid who has worked his ass off striving toward his goals and in that initial moment thought his season was over and responded accordingly. He was crushed at the thought and got emotional. That isn't so strange. He cared. So while you can criticize several aspects of his game, THAT particular one shouldn't be one of them.

 

[Brotherblues]

there is ONE critical quality that Maye has that Mac doesn't, and it isn't arm strength or foot speed. It's the ability to make those around him better. Mac, on the other hand is the inverse. Those around him, make HIM better. This quality isn't something you can measure or quantify. It just IS.

I think the reason he can make those around him better is how handles tough situations. What happens when the protection isn't the best, or when his guys can't get open?

Maye keeps his head and continues to go through his progressions as he evades rushers.

Mac would panic and make a terrible decision 22 of every 24 times.

Most low end starters can look elite when the pocket is clean and the first read is open. It's what happens the other times that separates the Drake Mayes from the Mac Joneses.