Why I think Mac Jones might not start this year

[Simpelton]

This is obviously dependent on factors we can't possibly know, like how effective Newton is and health and whatnot but this is basically my guess on why Bill may have no intention whatsoever to throw Mac into the fire this year if he can avoid it.

What I'm seeing from Jones tells me that the guy lives and dies on anticipation and knowing where his receivers will be. That tells me that the speed of the game is something that could trip him up badly if he's rushed into service. I think Bill's absolutely not planning to put Jones in for at least the first 4 games while he gets used to practicing at the NFL level, and might have him pencilled in for a start next year.

IIRC Brady sat a year before Bledsoe got Mo LEwis'd and I strongly believe the plan for Jones is going to be similar.

Certainlly bringing in a guy who depends on knowing certain things, before he knows them at this level, is a harbinger of disaster. I feel like Jones is the sort of QB that a bad franchise could easily ruin and he's probably thanking his lucky stars he fell to us. I also feel like Belichick knows what I discussed and would rather bring in a veteran QB in trade than throw Jones in early.

 

[Patriot Missile]

If Mac Jones is their best chance to win he will start. Period. If not that makes Belichick a liar because he always says he is going to do what’s best for the football team.
Too much integrity to be a liar.

 

[VectorPrime]

If Mac Jones is their best chance to win he will start. Period. If not that makes Belichick a liar because he always says he is going to do what’s best for the football team.
Too much integrity to be a liar.

If he truly believed that Cam wouldn’t have remained the starter all last season.

 

[Patriot Missile]

If he truly believed that Cam wouldn’t have remained the starter all last season.

Really? Stidham can’t go a game without throwing a pick 6 and Hoyer had his chances. All 3 of them were terrible but at least Cam could still make plays with his feet. Bill went with his best chance.

 

[scott99]

If Mac Jones is their best chance to win he will start. Period. If not that makes Belichick a liar because he always says he is going to do what’s best for the football team.
Too much integrity to be a liar.

It may not be a case of lying, it may be a case of being misguided or close minded. Honestly, how do we know that Stidham didn’t give the Pats a better chance to win, IF given the chance to succeed. Who knows, IF he was given 1st team reps for a full week, or even several weeks in a row, maybe the results are different. I’m not taking any of the blame away from Stidham for his poor play. IF he would’ve taken the bull by the horn WHEN given the chance, he pretty much **** the bed. But Belichick sure as **** didn’t support him in any way. Cam was goddamned awful and Belichick stuck with him.

 

[Patriot Missile]

Pretty simple. We don’t know because we are only fans. Belichick knows because he see’s them, interacts with them daily from OTA’s to sometimes February. He’s one of the greatest coaches in history so I trust he knows what he’s doing when it comes to who plays. You can question all you want, but you mind as well go question Elon Musk or Bill Gates about business decisions they’ve made and not made.

 

[DarrylS]

To break it down to "lying" minimizes the volumes of coaching experience that BB possesses, remember when he allegedly "promised" that Drew would be the starting QB after he recovered from his punctured lung, how did that work out?? BB did was was best for the team.

Gotta trust in BB, as there are many variables that we do not and will not every have knowledge of.. once again BB will do what is best for the team. He sees a things a bit differently than fans, it is not always black and white.

 

[zydecochris]

This is obviously dependent on factors we can't possibly know, like how effective Newton is and health and whatnot but this is basically my guess on why Bill may have no intention whatsoever to throw Mac into the fire this year if he can avoid it.

What I'm seeing from Jones tells me that the guy lives and dies on anticipation and knowing where his receivers will be. That tells me that the speed of the game is something that could trip him up badly if he's rushed into service. I think Bill's absolutely not planning to put Jones in for at least the first 4 games while he gets used to practicing at the NFL level, and might have him pencilled in for a start next year.

IIRC Brady sat a year before Bledsoe got Mo LEwis'd and I strongly believe the plan for Jones is going to be similar.

Certainlly bringing in a guy who depends on knowing certain things, before he knows them at this level, is a harbinger of disaster. I feel like Jones is the sort of QB that a bad franchise could easily ruin and he's probably thanking his lucky stars he fell to us. I also feel like Belichick knows what I discussed and would rather bring in a veteran QB in trade than throw Jones in early.

I think I would make a similar point but in a different way. He will be more prepared for the speed of the game than most rookie QBs simply because he has already played with and against NFL level talent.

What I think may be more of an adjustment for him is to learn to throw to receivers that aren't wide open. He has been coached by Saban at Alabama to avoid turnovers at all costs, and his stat line reflected that: 44 TDs to 4 INTs, really a remarkably low level of interceptions. But he has been trained to make a throw only if the receiver is completely open with little chance of interception. That will often not be the case of course with the Patriot receivers, he isn't throwing to Devonte Smith and Jalen Waddle.

I predict that many, including on this Board, will call him too "conservative and tentative" in his first year simply because he has been drilled to avoid turnovers at all costs in college. Hopefully he will evolve and learn to throw slightly riskier throws into tighter windows in time.

 

[JMC00]

IIRC Brady sat a year before Bledsoe got Mo LEwis'd and I strongly believe the plan for Jones is going to be similar.

Brady sat because the guy ahead of him was drafted #1 7 years prior and had taken the team to a SB a few seasons before and Kraft gave 10 year extension to before the 2001 season and Belichick didn't wield the overall power he has now.

Complete different situation.

If Belichick stayed with Brady after Bledsoe got hurt and the Patriots went on to be $h!+ and finish with a top 5 pick. Belichick would have been done. Literally was the decision that made Kraft cede complete roster control to him. If Jones comes in and is better than Newton in camp, Jones is starting. You don't do the free agency you did to go with the 2nd best guy because the best QB on the roster is rookie

and Pats/Kraft/fans don't have the emotional investment with Newton that they had with Bledsoe

 

[Bill Lee]

It may not be a case of lying, it may be a case of being misguided or close minded. Honestly, how do we know that Stidham didn’t give the Pats a better chance to win, IF given the chance to succeed. Who knows, IF he was given 1st team reps for a full week, or even several weeks in a row, maybe the results are different. I’m not taking any of the blame away from Stidham for his poor play. IF he would’ve taken the bull by the horn WHEN given the chance, he pretty much **** the bed. But Belichick sure as **** didn’t support him in any way. Cam was goddamned awful and Belichick stuck with him.

BB isn't being open minded, he flat out and said Cam is #1, the others have to show they are better than him if they want to play.

I think it's safe to assume Stidham just didn't show the coaches that he was close enough to earn #1 reps.

He did get #2 reps and proceeded to drop #2s all over the field.

We have watched players sit entire seasons before (Brady, James White, Damien Harris), so don't be surprised if we see it again with MJ.

 

[Hyped]

The only scenario in which Mac Jones does not start 10+ games this year....is one where Cam bounces back in a big way and plays like the 2018 Cam Newton, IMO.

Mac is still gonna have to unseat Cam...a former league MVP. From what I have read about Mac over the last few days....I can tell you that AT LEAST the kid is gonna give it his best shot.

 

[Simpelton]

I think I would make a similar point but in a different way. He will be more prepared for the speed of the game than most rookie QBs simply because he has already played with and against NFL level talent.

What I think may be more of an adjustment for him is to learn to throw to receivers that aren't wide open. He has been coached by Saban at Alabama to avoid turnovers at all costs, and his stat line reflected that: 44 TDs to 4 INTs, really a remarkably low level of interceptions. But he has been trained to make a throw only if the receiver is completely open with little chance of interception. That will often not be the case of course with the Patriot receivers, he isn't throwing to Devonte Smith and Jalen Waddle.

I predict that many, including on this Board, will call him too "conservative and tentative" in his first year simply because he has been drilled to avoid turnovers at all costs in college. Hopefully he will evolve and learn to throw slightly riskier throws into tighter windows in time.

I'm hoping he gets a chance to really see how the game is played at the NFL level and absorb the playbook properly before we throw him onto the field

One thing is certain: We have to develop Jones with an eye beyond this year. I'll more than take a mediocre showing this coming season if it aids Jones' development down the road.

Jones is a keeper for the long term, if we develop him carefully. If we pursue short term gains at the cost of Jones' long term development we're fools.

And I do question whether throwing a guy with his skillset into the fire immediately might be premature and overoptimistic. After all, wasn't that Rosen's skillset too?

Let's let him have a chance to see things from the sidelines, let him gauge the speed of the game, whicch is different from the SEC which is partially composed of raw NFL talent. We've got good veterans on both sides of the ball for him to absorb knowledge from, thinking specifically about Andrews on the offensive side, Hightower on the other. Let him practice with our defense, which is a good defense, to see how well he can read it. I don't think Jones sniffs the field until he satisfied that criteria anyway, and he might not do it at first. I'm OK with that.

 

[italian pat patriot]

Who knows...more then 4 months to week.1...

 

[Rob0729]

I think if Belichick feels Jones is ready and gives the Pats the best chance to win, he will start him. He isn't going to rush Jones out there just to get him to play, but he isn't going to hold him back if he sees little value in it.

 

[mgteich]

The only scenario in which Mac Jones does not start 10+ games this year....is one where Cam bounces back in a big way and plays like the 2018 Cam Newton, IMO.

Mac is still gonna have to unseat Cam...a former league MVP. From what I have read about Mac over the last few days....I can tell you that AT LEAST the kid is gonna give it his best shot.

If Cam plays as well as an average QB in the NFL, I think that he will play the season and have us in the playoffs. That being said, that is a tall order for Cam.

Belichick is on Year 2 of his 3 year plan. We seem to be on course.

 

[Rob0729]

BB isn't being open minded, he flat out and said Cam is #1, the others have to show they are better than him if they want to play.

I think it's safe to assume Stidham just didn't show the coaches that he was close enough to earn #1 reps.

He did get #2 reps and proceeded to drop #2s all over the field.

We have watched players sit entire seasons before (Brady, James White, Damien Harris), so don't be surprised if we see it again with MJ.

Is Brady really a good example? He was a sixth rounder who had to totally retool his body with a top tier starting QB already on the roster and barely made the roster in 2000 (they had to create a fourth QB spot for him). Even if Brady was ready to start in 2000 (which he clearly wasn't), there would have been little to no shot of him starting with Bledsoe on the roster.

It really depends on the player. Some players are in the starting line up from day one and others sit for a long time.

 

[Jim Beankie]

To break it down to "lying" minimizes the volumes of coaching experience that BB possesses, remember when he allegedly "promised" that Drew would be the starting QB after he recovered from his punctured lung, how did that work out?? BB did was was best for the team.

Gotta trust in BB, as there are many variables that we do not and will not every have knowledge of.. once again BB will do what is best for the team. He sees a things a bit differently than fans, it is not always black and white.

Based on what I read, MacEnroe's tendency for Da Vinci Code style self-flagellation after mistakes should probably lead to a season of sitting/learning behind Cam, anyway. Like you said, BB will do what is best for the team. I think he's learned a thing or two about QB controversies and how to handle them. Thanks for making me relive the (only 2 decades ago so not really that) old memories:

"The [paper also responsible for the f*<king Rams walkthrough debacle] beat writers sure did their part, penning the obligatory pro-Bledsoe piece, since no QB controversy is worth its salt unless one of the parties is mad as hell and isn't going to take this anymore:

'A visibly angry Drew Bledsoe said yesterday he "was told" that he'd have an opportunity to compete for the Patriots starting quarterback job once he was cleared by doctors. According to sources close to Bledsoe, that assurance came from coach Bill Belichick.

However, a team source said last night that no promises were given.'"

From The NFL's Last Great Quarterback Controversy
by Malinowski

----

The closest Bill Belichick will come to admitting he misled Drew Bledsoe -- forever damaging that trust -- is the coach's admission Wednesday that, "Maybe last week, maybe there was a little gap in the understanding of what an opportunity would be. ... Maybe I shouldn't have made the commitment to Drew" that he could try to win back his job this season.

If Tom Brady becomes a very good starting quarterback, then Belichick will have won the bold -- some would say unnecessary -- gamble he took Tuesday, announcing that Brady is his quarterback for the rest of the season, "barring unforeseen circumstances."

If Brady doesn't -- if he falters as he has the last couple of games -- then Belichick will get fired. Maybe not in a month, or in a year. But when it happens, we'll point to the decision he made Tuesday as the beginning of the end.

From WITH BLEDSOE, BELICHICK FUMBLES
by Greenberg

 

[Brewskies]

This is obviously dependent on factors we can't possibly know, like how effective Newton is and health and whatnot but this is basically my guess on why Bill may have no intention whatsoever to throw Mac into the fire this year if he can avoid it.

What I'm seeing from Jones tells me that the guy lives and dies on anticipation and knowing where his receivers will be. That tells me that the speed of the game is something that could trip him up badly if he's rushed into service. I think Bill's absolutely not planning to put Jones in for at least the first 4 games while he gets used to practicing at the NFL level, and might have him pencilled in for a start next year.

IIRC Brady sat a year before Bledsoe got Mo LEwis'd and I strongly believe the plan for Jones is going to be similar.

Certainlly bringing in a guy who depends on knowing certain things, before he knows them at this level, is a harbinger of disaster. I feel like Jones is the sort of QB that a bad franchise could easily ruin and he's probably thanking his lucky stars he fell to us. I also feel like Belichick knows what I discussed and would rather bring in a veteran QB in trade than throw Jones in early.

I don't expect to see Jones at QB until 2022/23, assuming health issues aren't a factor. BB doesn't put rookie QB's in the first year. Bill will go with Cam and Stidham for this season 2021/22.

 

[Bill Lee]

Is Brady really a good example? He was a sixth rounder who had to totally retool his body with a top tier starting QB already on the roster and barely made the roster in 2000 (they had to create a fourth QB spot for him). Even if Brady was ready to start in 2000 (which he clearly wasn't), there would have been little to no shot of him starting with Bledsoe on the roster.

It really depends on the player. Some players are in the starting line up from day one and others sit for a long time.

Yes, it depends on the player(s) and the situation(s). The main thing in common is IMO sitting a year would also give Jones a year to retool his body, learn our system cold, work on whatever issues the coaches identify, (hopefully) benefit from seeing Cam's strong leadership and work ethic, and have less pressure on him when he finally does get into a game.

 

[Captain Cliche]

When has Belichick relied on production from a rookie? He usually goes into the draft with a pretty complete team. He likes his vets.
Very few 1st rounders have started from the get go. Even less drafted lower.
Examples:
Logan Mankins
Jerod Mayo
Sony Michelle (?)
Hell, even Big Vince took time to become a starter.