NEW ARTICLE: Patriots Mac Jones Again Stuck in Neutral During Sunday’s Win – Can He Be Fixed?

[captain stone]

Posted in another thread, too. This play sums up Jones' issues in a nutshell. Bad all around.

View attachment 47098

Yep, the dam ball should've been thrown to Bourne IMMEDIATELY.

 

[Pape]

Yep, the dam ball should've been thrown to Bourne IMMEDIATELY.

the anti-Zoolander? cant go right?

 

[BennyBledsoe]

Even in those wins, there were still massive concerns with the playcalling. At least to me. McDaniels could definitely be a dunce at times. But his offenses generally got balls to the talent. Patricia does not do that. McD would make second half adjustments. I haven't seen that from Patricia.

 

[Ian]

Yeah, I don't know. Maybe I'm focused on the wrong stuff but I don't really see an offense that's stuck because of the play-calling.

The biggest difference I've noticed from last year to this year is far less 21 and 22 personnel, meaning no more FB. They're spreading the field, getting more athleticism on the field, not playing in a phonebooth. I much, much prefer the personnel/formation usage this season compared to recent McD's seasons.

The consternation about the offensive performance stems, from, what, three games? Chicago, New York, Indy, right? I recall a much more positive tone following the Browns, Lions games. That's probably because the offense performed better, and so the concerns about the OC went away ... until they started sucking again.

I guess I feel it's a little too convenient to blame Patricia. I'm sure he needs polish as a play-caller but I'm seeing issues with execution. Starts with the OL, they haven't been good recently. QB play needs to be better. Ball security needs to be better.

I'll rewatch some of the games with an eye on the offensive flow and see if I pickup on anything, but at least in my opinion - which, despite what I like to think - isn't worth much, the OC/play-calling has been fine.

If you're going to do that, watch the games where they put up 45 on the Browns in 2021 and the Jaguars game. The contrast in both the offense and the flow of the game is pretty noticeable. Really well-timed RB screens, delayed handoffs, end-around plays, fake end-around, a pretty good mix of formations, etc. They also had a designed rollout where Jones made a nice throw to Wilkerson on a TD pass. I just went through both on the condensed versions while fast-forwarding through the defensive parts...it was interesting to watch.

One sidenote - Rewatching these is a reminder that Wynn and Brown weren't exactly terrible lining up opposite where they are this season. They lined up a tight end on the left quite a bit with Wynn - although Wynn wasn't overly horrible. Jonnu Smith was often the guy lined up on that side and there was even one play where they used him on a screen that the Jaguars didn't expect. Brown was also a beast on the right side, and his downfield blocking remains something that's just surprising for someone his size.

Obviously, I get having Brown on the left, and it's too deep in the year to ask both to try and re-learn the other position, but if you're continually having issues and not getting the best out of Wynn, it's not like it was a horrible combination last season. Or maybe I just don't remember it being as bad as it was...? Although, I'm assuming the change was probably in the hope of freeing up Smith, yet it feels like they created a new problem by trying to change that one.

But overall, definitely not like it's been this season...which is frustrating.

 

[Ian]

I will add that Jones is often flatfooted and doesn't keep moving ... which was something I noticed. He was better moving his eyes and doing a lot of the things in each of those two games that we're not seeing this season, again probably because his internal clock is moving faster than it was. He was also gutsier on a lot of his throws last year, including a few he threw into tight coverage as well as the touchdown pass between two defenders to Bourne. It's just frustrating to see things having fallen off so badly. But last year he just played and reacted. This year, it's like he's thinking too much and the results are what they are.

 

[Ian]

Rewatched the Lions game. A lot of the plays called saw Zappe get the ball out of his hand not long after the snap. That being said, a couple of things stood out:

1) Zappe's better when it comes to play action fakes compared to Jones, holds the ball out farther and rides the fake. Also had one play where he was flushed out to his right and he did a good job getting it to Henry in the flat for a first down.

2) He also had another play on a third and three where he looked to his left with pressure coming in and then came back across to Henry. That was a good job on his part.

3) The touchdown pass to Myers on one drive also had a nice fake where he pulled it back out and immediately threw it.

So again, not a lot of time with either player holding the ball and throwing it in terms of 2021 Jones vs 2022 Zappe. I still believe getting hit as much as he's been has hurt Jones and McDaniels did a good job of calling screens at the right time last season to deal with it. Patricia did it once against the Lions, and it helped keep them off of Zappe, but that's not something that seems to have happened much with Jones under center.

But in terms of McDaniels vs Patricia, there were definitely some noticeable differences.

 

[Ian]

 

[mgteich]

Corky isn't close to being good enough to overcome not only his bad OL (especially when Thanksdad & Lose/Lose are out there), but also his OL's coaching, his play-caller AND his QB coach...

Bad Bad Bad Bad

I think that it would be a HUGE step forward to have a consistent OL after the bye: Brown, Strange, Andrews, Onwenu, Cajuste (Wynn, Ferentz).

 

[venecol]

CHOICES
1) Jones was a solid prospect, had a great rookie year, and now has regressed by so much that he isn't a viable starter.
2) Jones was a solid prospect, had a great rookie year, and something changed between 2021 and 2022 that caused the Jones to regress.
3) Jones wasn't really a solid prospect. His rookie year was somehow an illusion,

MY CONCLUSION IS THAT #2 IS THE ANSWER
Consider that
1) The receivers are as good as in 2021.
2) The rb's are as good as in 2021.
3) The TE's are as good as in 2021.
4) The OT's are improved (Cajuste and Cannon replaced Herron)
5) We are the same at OC.
6) Arguably the guards are as good as in 2021: Strange and Onwenu replacing Karras and Mason.

Why is #2 the answer?

What if Mac was so heavily managed by Bill/McD that once the reins were loosened, now we see his faults? We didn't see the offense stalled when Zappe was UC.

Of course, things are usually more complicated. I'm sure the changes in O coaching, the OL, etc. has some effect. The excuses being made for his poor play are just astonishing.

 

[Tunescribe]

Why is #2 the answer?

What if Mac was so heavily managed by Bill/McD that once the reins were loosened, now we see his faults? We didn't see the offense stalled when Zappe was UC.

Of course, things are usually more complicated. I'm sure the changes in O coaching, the OL, etc. has some effect. The excuses being made for his poor play are just astonishing.

Reasons become "excuses" when the complexities you allude to aren't well understood.

 

[stephens44]

I think the real issue is you have an offensive coordinator who is an engineer at heart, and everything he does is the result of careful analysis and ends with resulting formulaic solutions. I know a lot of engineers and I just can't see that mindset ever being intuitive or ever being genuinely creative when it comes to offensive schemes and play calling. I think it may be something like an issue of art vs science.

 

[Give Kraft A Hand]

It depends who the OC is next year. They're in a tough spot now where if they trade him in the offseason his stock has dropped so much you're looking at a 3rd or 4th round pick as compensation. The Pats are better off getting a real offensive coordinator in the offseason and working with rehabbing Mac Jones. They are wasting his 2nd season.

 

[captain stone]

Yep, at the bar we all thought that this was one of his very best passes all season, especially when targeting that part of the field.

 

[Nikolai]

I remember last year, saying that Mac's vision was lacking, but also said that it's something that can improve. He's still missing the open guy. Whether it's the jitters, lack of film study, or something else, it still feels like something that can be corrected, provided Mac can take the coaching, and the coaches communicate effectively.

 

[captain stone]

I think that it would be a HUGE step forward to have a consistent OL after the bye: Brown, Strange, Andrews, Onwenu, Cajuste (Wynn, Ferentz).

I watched the 10-minute highlights on Youtube and focused on Cachoo at RT...

The sack on Mac during the 1st quarter (5:00 remaining) was the result of him not sustaining his block on Paye when Mac tried to step through the pocket, which led to a punt;

Early in the 2nd quarter he was responsible for Mac being hit by Paye and forced to throw a 3rd-down INC, which led to Folk's first FG...

Didn't notice any breakdowns by him during the 2nd-half highlights, based on what was shown...

Overall and while not perfect of course, this still might've been the best RT play we've had since the Cleveland game, if not earlier... Your lineup above is likely what we'll see for Jete 2.

 

[jdlboot14]

Posted in another thread, too. This play sums up Jones' issues in a nutshell. Bad all around.

View attachment 47098

this is the kind of play we all look at in the all-22 and see Bourn wide open at the top of the screen at the 20yd for an easy 1st down. But as Mac even admitted, he's too focused on where he's supposed to be looking in the design of the play, than seeing the other open guys. He's clearly been hammered about bad passes and taking sacks, so I think mentally he's not free to just play QB. That's the exact result of MP and Judge being horrible coaches. Sure, they know Xs and Os, but they've never been able to get their guys to feel the game and relax and play.

 

[catent]

this is the kind of play we all look at in the all-22 and see Bourn wide open at the top of the screen at the 20yd for an easy 1st down. But as Mac even admitted, he's too focused on where he's supposed to be looking in the design of the play, than seeing the other open guys. He's clearly been hammered about bad passes and taking sacks, so I think mentally he's not free to just play QB. That's the exact result of MP and Judge being horrible coaches. Sure, they know Xs and Os, but they've never been able to get their guys to feel the game and relax and play.

You're presented with a play that shows Jones playing the QB position poorly and you attribute it *all* to the coaches.

"too focused on where he's supposed to be looking in the design of the play"
"been hammered about bad passes and taking sacks"
"mentally he's not free to just play QB"
"that's the exactly result of MP and Judge being horrible coaches"

A bunch of assumptions, conjecture, and speculation based on watching the QB play poorly. Given we watched another guy play the position and not have these same issues, I'm more inclined to go with occam's razor and say the QB himself isn't playing well enough. And let's say Jones does play free and loose, like he did against Baltimore ... oh, yeah.

I think he's been hammered hard about not turning the ball over, I'll give you that. And unfortunately he seems to lack the ability to consistently deliver the ball on time into tight windows. When he attempts to, it often results in turnovers. So now he's trying to avoid turnovers and play more cautiously, yet we still see many of the same bad habits, but with fewer big plays (and fewer turnovers, too).

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

I will add that Jones is often flatfooted and doesn't keep moving ... which was something I noticed. He was better moving his eyes and doing a lot of the things in each of those two games that we're not seeing this season, again probably because his internal clock is moving faster than it was. He was also gutsier on a lot of his throws last year, including a few he threw into tight coverage as well as the touchdown pass between two defenders to Bourne. It's just frustrating to see things having fallen off so badly. But last year he just played and reacted. This year, it's like he's thinking too much and the results are what they are.

Jones is a system quarterMac

 

[VJCPatriot]

“But without a classic slot, or a James White, or a Julian Edelman, those of kind of underneath guys to hit who will make yards after the catch, Jakobi Meyers has improved at that, they are a little bit handcuffed.”

And who is Jakobi Meyers then if not the 'classic slot' WR? He's certainly not a #1. And Kendrick Bourne who was our leading WR last year has been living in Patricia's doghouse since the 'new offensive system' has been implemented.

“But again, Mac Jones is regressing, and I don’t know if it’s a byproduct of the coaching decision to put those guys in place, whether it’s the coaching and the playcalling, whether it’s the offensive line, but in the end, the concern has to be how badly is Mac regressing and can he be dug out and rehabilitated?”

That's the one FACT that can't be argued. Mac Jones has regressed big time in 2022. We can't be sure if the blame should be put on Matt Patricia's painfully predictable play calls, Joe Judge's incompetent 'qb whispers', or simply that NFL defenses have now 'figured out' Mac Jones after watching the game film. It's probably a combination of all of the above.

Bottom line, Mac Jones is not cutting the mustard in 2022. It's time for a change!

BTW I heard that Bailey Zappe kid can play pretty good... and he's put up better numbers than Mac Jones hands down.

 

[VJCPatriot]

What evidence do we have that the OC doesn't know what he's doing (besides the fact the QB is playing poorly, which, maybe - just maybe - has more to do with the QB than the OC)?

It's simple. Offensive output.

In 2021 the Patriots were a respectable offense with 353.4 yards per game offensive yards and scored 27.2 points per game.

In 2022 the Patriots are only putting up 319.9 yards per game offensive yards and scored 22.6 points per game.

That's a clear decline in offensive performance.

Factor in the fact that multiple touchdowns were actually scored by our defense and not our offense this year and it's a GRIM picture.

And it's not like we didn't see the warning signs coming:

-BB deciding not to hire a new OC to replace McDaniels was already seen as a risky move.

-BB using a defensive coach, Matt Patricia, as our main offensive playcaller was a move of sheer hubris.

-BB hiring Joe Judge as the QB coach, a man who nearly ruined Daniel Jones, to mentor Mac Jones was an act of sheer sabotage.

-Kendrick Bourne, most notably, and other members of the Patriots offense complained about the new system that the above mentioned Matt Patricia and Joe Judge implemented.

The Patriots offense through preseason was terrible. This hasn't changed 9 games into the regular season.

Yes you can blame the Quarterback, ie Mac Jones just hasn't lived up to the hype of 2021 and he has clearly regressed.

But you also have to blame the incompetent leadership and coaching that put Mac Jones in that position.

Matt Patricia's play calls were so predictable that the Colts defenders were calling them out before they even happened.

Matt Patricia might be a fine defensive coach, but he's absolutely TRASH tier as an offensive playcaller.

It's a comedy of errors that all adds up to a very bad offense that must rely on the defense to throw a near shutout performance each week just to get the win.