Mike Lombardi: "Be Patient with Mac Jones" (no need to rush)

[Ring 6]

The COVID hate is strong. I hope a year removed from the fog and having more weapons will allow him to succeed. I’m all in for Mac anyway but just want the team to win with whoever is at QB.

It’s not Covid hate, it’s “im going to make up an excuse with no evidence that he stunk this time because he had covid fog when he directly refutes it himself” hate.
We would hate the excuse that he suffered temporary blindness on pass plays equally.

 

[Ring 6]

I agree. My biggest reason for wanting to get Mac started earlier in the season is that this is a team and fan base and organization that really needs a fresh new start. Everyone knows Cam is not the natural fit, or long term fit for this team. He's been a solid veteran presence for the throw-away year in '20. But, when you lose a 20-year fixture and star, you don't really want damaged goods on the tail end of their career. Teams who draft high 1st round QB's are looking to re-set the franchise. It's more than X's & O's. This is a kid who has the pedigree, who has shown the tools (although brief and preseason). And it's just the situation where most fans are ready to turn the page and run with a homegrown guy.

I have 2 reasons for wanting jones to start week 1.
1) The way the team looks this year, every win is going to be vital. Worst case is fighting for the playoffs, best case id fighting for seeding. One extra loss can hurt. The idea of giving Newton a try until he stinks is essentially asking for extra losses.
2) The sooner Jones plays, the faster he will develop. If we go to the post season with a qb with 17 games under his belt we are in better shapes than if he has 13, or 8.

All the other stuff doesn’t matter. All that matters is winning. Immediately and long term. Every single decision I want made is because it will result in us winning more.

 

[jdlboot14]

I watched every snap from passing highlights of Lawrence, Wilson, Fields, Lance & Mac.
Mac might have the least powerful arm of the group. The others can really rip it.
But the one thing that stood out - is every one of the other 4 had a bunch of "off-platform" passes - most of which didn't connect.
I didn't see Mac make one. His mechanics were steady every time.
The others also threw a lot of check-downs like Mac, so its not like they were flinging it everywhere and Mac only throws short.
But I didn't expect to see Trevor, Justin & Trey get caught holding the ball too long as many times as they did.
Again, I'd say Mac didn't do that once vs. PHI. His one scramble/slide was ugly. But he knew when to do it.
Bottom line -
I like Wilson's passing mechanics best from what I saw. (Rogers-esque as advertised)
Lawrence didn't appear any better than the other 3.
I'm concerned Fields, Lance & Lawrence could get themselves hurt if they don't adjust from college style.
I feel good about Mac as our guy. He has what it takes to start early in his career because of the way he plays.
He's not trying to win the game every down, and his movement in the pocket is so aware and so efficient already... kinda like a guy we used to watch.

 

[Zuma]

It’s not Covid hate, it’s “im going to make up an excuse with no evidence that he stunk this time because he had covid fog when he directly refutes it himself” hate.
We would hate the excuse that he suffered temporary blindness on pass plays equally.

My mistake…I meant to say Cam hate. The COVID hate should be strong.

 

[Ring 6]

My mistake…I meant to say Cam hate. The COVID hate should be strong.

Still not hate, it’s fans who want to win and don’t want a terrible qb playing to prevent that.

 

[Zuma]

Still not hate, it’s fans who want to win and don’t want a terrible qb playing to prevent that.

Can't argue with that.

 

[DropKickFlutie]

I watched every snap from passing highlights of Lawrence, Wilson, Fields, Lance & Mac.
Mac might have the least powerful arm of the group. The others can really rip it.
But the one thing that stood out - is every one of the other 4 had a bunch of "off-platform" passes - most of which didn't connect.
I didn't see Mac make one. His mechanics were steady every time.
The others also threw a lot of check-downs like Mac, so its not like they were flinging it everywhere and Mac only throws short.
But I didn't expect to see Trevor, Justin & Trey get caught holding the ball too long as many times as they did.
Again, I'd say Mac didn't do that once vs. PHI. His one scramble/slide was ugly. But he knew when to do it.
Bottom line -
I like Wilson's passing mechanics best from what I saw. (Rogers-esque as advertised)
Lawrence didn't appear any better than the other 3.
I'm concerned Fields, Lance & Lawrence could get themselves hurt if they don't adjust from college style.
I feel good about Mac as our guy. He has what it takes to start early in his career because of the way he plays.
He's not trying to win the game every down, and his movement in the pocket is so aware and so efficient already... kinda like a guy we used to watch.

Great post. This has been a favorite of mine about Mac's game. The guy clearly studies the playbook and opposing defenses and knows where to go with the ball. He's quick and decisive. Anticipating where to go quick with the ball is more important than a cannon arm.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I have 2 reasons for wanting jones to start week 1.
1) The way the team looks this year, every win is going to be vital. Worst case is fighting for the playoffs, best case id fighting for seeding. One extra loss can hurt. The idea of giving Newton a try until he stinks is essentially asking for extra losses.
2) The sooner Jones plays, the faster he will develop. If we go to the post season with a qb with 17 games under his belt we are in better shapes than if he has 13, or 8.

All the other stuff doesn’t matter. All that matters is winning. Immediately and long term. Every single decision I want made is because it will result in us winning more.

Yep.

If at the end of TC Mac is 90% of what Cam is but by Week 5 he has the potential to be 125% of Cam's ceiling- Mac needs to start.

 

[Lagaffe_07]

Can’t wait for us to be 0-2 and switch QBs in the middle of the 3rd game

 

[RobertWeathers]

Can’t wait for us to be 0-2 and switch QBs in the middle of the 3rd game

Oh man...

That would be vs the Saints and Mac's 1st NFL start would come the following week vs Tampa

 

[TomPatriot]

Great post. This has been a favorite of mine about Mac's game. The guy clearly studies the playbook and opposing defenses and knows where to go with the ball. He's quick and decisive. Anticipating where to go quick with the ball is more important than a cannon arm.

Good coaching played a role.

 

[zydecochris]

Oh man...

That would be vs the Saints and Mac's 1st NFL start would come the following week vs Tampa

Yeah, that would surprise me to make the switch then unless Cam is injured.

If Cam plays kind of marginally acceptable, I think a switch at the Texans or Cowboys in the 5th or 6th game is more likely.

If Cam plays better than expected like he did against the Eagles (with a year to learn the system and many new weapons) who knows? I know many posters find that impossible, I don’t, although I think “marginally acceptable” is more likely. Like another poster pointed out, I remember all of the posts about Brady being washed up two years ago with a team similar to the Patriots last year.

I guess we will have to wait to see.

 

[Dingleberry]

I have 2 reasons for wanting jones to start week 1.
1) The way the team looks this year, every win is going to be vital. Worst case is fighting for the playoffs, best case id fighting for seeding. One extra loss can hurt. The idea of giving Newton a try until he stinks is essentially asking for extra losses.
2) The sooner Jones plays, the faster he will develop. If we go to the post season with a qb with 17 games under his belt we are in better shapes than if he has 13, or 8.

All the other stuff doesn’t matter. All that matters is winning. Immediately and long term. Every single decision I want made is because it will result in us winning more.

This sums up my feelings perfectly.

Had we not gotten Jones at 15 and instead taken one of the 2nd tier QB's, I would be all in on Cam. I wouldn't be confident, but I would be hoping last year's detrimental situation (lack of proper training camp, weapons, etc.) was more the cause of his suckitude and not his elementary field vision.

But we did get Jones. Sorry Cam. Last year was not fair to fully judge him, but who gives a shard about fair?

 

[Ring 6]

Yep.

If at the end of TC Mac is 90% of what Cam is but by Week 5 he has the potential to be 125% of Cam's ceiling- Mac needs to start.

He’s already clearly the better QB. The only thing that could hold him back is his maturity in understanding the offense and leading it. He seems fine in those areas though.
And let’s not kid ourselves, the bar of being better than Newton isn’t high and doesn’t mean he will be great, just better than a bad alternative.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Yeah, that would surprise me to make the switch then unless Cam is injured.

If Cam plays kind of marginally acceptable, I think a switch at the Texans or Cowboys in the 5th or 6th game is more likely.

If Cam plays better than expected like he did against the Eagles (with a year to learn the system and many new weapons) who knows? I know many posters find that impossible, I don’t, although I think “marginally acceptable” is more likely. Like another poster pointed out, I remember all of the posts about Brady being washed up two years ago with a team similar to the Patriots last year.

I guess we will have to wait to see.

Yep. If Bill decides on Cam Week 1, then a non injury-related decision on Mac over Cam becomes more nuanced.

As other posters have said, it'll all come down to performance and/or winning.

If Cam is performing well, the offense is respectable and the team is winning, Bill will ride that horse until he is no longer able.

If Cam is playing like crap, but the team is winning or the inverse of that, that'll be interesting to see what Bill does.

 

[Ring 6]

This sums up my feelings perfectly.

Had we not gotten Jones at 15 and instead taken one of the 2nd tier QB's, I would be all in on Cam. I wouldn't be confident, but I would be hoping last year's detrimental situation (lack of proper training camp, weapons, etc.) was more the cause of his suckitude and not his elementary field vision.

But we did get Jones. Sorry Cam. Last year was not fair to fully judge him, but who gives a shard about fair?

That’s what amazes me is people think this is about letting the guy play because it’s fair to give him a second chance to prove the suckitude wasn’t him. Why? It’s about winning, not feelings and excuses.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Some people have actually followed Cam’s career and follow the NFL outside of NE, weren’t surprised that Cam sucked last year, and realize how many limitations he has.

Haters? Don’t care what what label you use.

The hope is Mac will exceed Cam’s level. This isn’t that complicated. Keep beating that drum, though, that people will root against Cam, are biased, and whatever other straw man argument you want.

 

[tom444]

We would hate the excuse that he suffered temporary blindness on pass plays equally.

He might have.

Does COVID-19 lead to vision loss?​

Case 1: Impending central retinal vein occlusion following COVID-19​

This report presents a patient presenting with multiple scotomas and decreased vision in the setting of a medical history of COVID-19.

Case report details

This report describes a 54-year-old female with prior history of COVID-19 who presented to the emergency department complaining of a 36-hour history of multiple scotomas and decreased vision in her right eye.

Does COVID-19 lead to vision loss?

 

[RobertWeathers]

He’s already clearly the better QB. The only thing that could hold him back is his maturity in understanding the offense and leading it. He seems fine in those areas though.
And let’s not kid ourselves, the bar of being better than Newton isn’t high and doesn’t mean he will be great, just better than a bad alternative.

Not just running the offense but maturity in terms of commanding an NFL huddle and being a leader in the locker room is a big part of what BB looks for in an NFL QB.

From what i've seen and read, Mac has those attributes.

 

[Ring 6]

Not just running the offense but maturity in terms of commanding an NFL huddle and being a leader in the locker room is a big part of what BB looks for in an NFL QB.

From what i've seen and read, Mac has those attributes.

But they also need to be developed by doing. Sit over there and watch the guy none of the other 31 teams wanted play your position, does nothing to help that.