“I enjoy it. I enjoy all aspects of it,” said Belichick when asked how he continues motivating himself after over 20-years here in New England.\u00a0 “The preparation, the team building, the competitiveness on Sundays, the guys that I work with, you know, the staff, the players, it’s a great environment, the ownership. Everybody works together to try to work towards a common goal. Honestly, it beats working. I enjoy it. ”<\/p>\n
Whether or not that continues beyond today is the question everyone is wondering, especially with the bye week approaching.<\/p>\n
If ever there would be a time when a change might be made, given the history of what we’ve seen around the league, this is generally it.<\/p>\n
That’s also what’s going to make what happens later this morning that much more interesting as the Patriots try and end their third multi-game losing streak of 2023 and get back on track.<\/p>\n
Quick Hitters For the Patriots and NFL News:<\/strong><\/h3>\nTrent Brown, DeVante Parker OUT:\u00a0<\/strong>Both Brown and Parker are dealing with injuries, with Brown also said to be dealing with a personal matter in addition to his ankle injury.\u00a0 Meanwhile, Parker is still recovering from a concussion he sustained two weeks ago, which depletes an already thin wide receiving group after the team lost Kendrick Bourne for the season against Miami.<\/p>\nJ.C. Jackson:\u00a0<\/strong>After reportedly missing curfew last week, Jackson missed the early part of last week’s game, although, things appeared to proceed relatively as usual from there for the remainder of the contest.\u00a0 However, behind the scenes, he and the coaching staff appear to be at odds, and he was left behind in Foxboro this week as a “mental reset,” according to Mike Garafolo.\u00a0 Belichick said on Friday “I think he’ll be available,” after the bye, but wouldn’t elaborate.\u00a0 “That was the decision,” he added.\u00a0 “I won’t get into it.”<\/p>\nThat leaves New England down a player who has been serviceable in their secondary, with the Patriots having acquired him from Los Angeles to shore up what – at the time – was a banged-up group.\u00a0 That will be something to watch against what’s been a pretty good Colts team, which likely will see Shaun Wade step in again after he started last week against Washington.<\/p>\n
Kayshon Boutte:\u00a0<\/strong>After not being elevated last week, it will be interesting to see if this might be the game we finally see Boutte active.<\/p>\nThe rookie out of LSU last played back in Week 1 and he hasn’t seen the field since, with Jalen Reagor being the one who saw the lion’s share of the snaps Sunday in place of Parker.\u00a0 Reagor was in on 77% of the snaps but caught just 1-of-6 targets, including a drop on a deep play late in the contest.<\/p>\n
Belichick said on Friday, “We’ll see how all that goes,” regarding Boutte, adding, “Kayshon has had a good couple of weeks here. It’s definitely trending in the right direction, so that’s been good.” Boutte was spotted working with the starters during 7-on-7s, so it’s possible today might be the day we finally see him out there.<\/p>\n
Mac Jones:\u00a0<\/strong>Jones said this week that he and his teammates have a plan to deal with whatever jet lag they might be feeling ahead of Sunday’s game. “I have a game plan, and already in effect,” said Jones.\u00a0 “They’ve talked to us about it a little bit, and all that stuff. At the end of the day, stick to your routine and maybe move it up or move it back depending on how that fits for you. So, I’ve definitely done that.”\u00a0 This is a big week for Jones, who has still not yet gone out and played his best game of the season to this point in 2023.\u00a0 More on him in a bit.<\/p>\nRuss Francis\/Chuck Fairbanks:<\/strong> The former Patriot tight end and head coach should be in the Patriots team Hall of Fame, and the fact that Francis isn\u2019t in is an absolute travesty. Francis and the Raiders\u2019 Dave Casper changed the game with how teams used the tight end position\u2026this will be on our Sunday posts until it happens. Casper is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Francis\u2019 numbers stand up well against Casper\u2019s, yet he isn\u2019t in the team\u2019s.<\/p>\nTyquan Thornton:<\/strong> It was another rough performance last week for the second-year receiver.\u00a0 Thornton caught just one of his four targets last week, including having one ugly play where he didn’t get his head around on a key third down.\u00a0 The former Baylor wideout did manage to get some support from Bill O’Brien this week.\u00a0 O’Brien praised Thornton while noting his injury issues have been what’s held him back.\u00a0 “He\u2019s a great guy, he works very, very, hard and he just hasn\u2019t had a lot of opportunities,” said O.Brien.\u00a0 “I\u2019m not making an excuse for him, I\u2019m just telling you, he hasn\u2019t been out on the field a lot.”<\/p>\nPatriots 4th & 2 Podcast:<\/strong> If you haven\u2019t listened to our PatsFans.com podcast, Patriots 4th & 2<\/em>, in a bit, please check it out. Patriots 4th & 2 is now available on our channel on YouTube<\/strong><\/a>, with Steve and Derek Havens both taking a look at what happened last Sunday, along with previewing today’s game in Germany.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/USATSI_21827101_168390408_lowres-660x440.jpg\")
(PHOTO: Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\nCoaches “Baffled” with Jones:<\/strong><\/h3>\nMac Jones has obviously had a tough year, which has his future with the football team in doubt beyond his rookie contract, and potentially sooner depending on how these final eight weeks play out.<\/p>\n
Based on how he’s played so far, Jones hasn’t been able to improve on what had been a difficult 2022, with some of his past issues carrying over into this season.<\/p>\n
The biggest problems plaguing Jones have been obvious.\u00a0 He’s been inconsistent and turnover prone, with his mechanics continuing to be a work in progress.\u00a0 Jones’ footwork has been something that’s been mentioned quite a bit, with the former Alabama QB often not planting and instead falling off his back foot and he certainly doesn’t have the arm to make those types of throws.<\/p>\n
Looking back at film of his rookie season, that wasn’t the case.\u00a0 Jones was much more poised and mechanically sound, getting a lot more on the football and looking far less hesitant than he has this season.<\/p>\n
The latter has been a notable issue.\u00a0 He’s been late getting the ball out on quite a few occasions, and it sounds like it’s become something that’s frustrating the coaching staff.<\/p>\n
Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated spoke about it this week on NBC Sports Boston, with coaches frustrated about some of his decision-making.\u00a0 That includes plays where they’re seeing things open up, yet the ball just isn’t coming out of his hands.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo one thing that\u2019s really infuriated people in the building is the decision-making,\u201d said Breer\u00a0during an appearance on NBC Sports Boston Wednesday<\/strong><\/a>.\u00a0 \u201cThey\u2019ve been sold this efficient game-managing quarterback, and they\u2019re not getting it.\u00a0 The decision-making hasn\u2019t been good.\u00a0 They see him passing up open receivers.\u00a0 They see things, quite frankly, that you wouldn\u2019t see from a quarterback who has those sorts of qualities.\u201d<\/p>\n\u201cSo it\u2019s not just the physical limitations now, it\u2019s also that it doesn\u2019t feel like he\u2019s really taking the coaching, and that creates a much bigger problem.\u00a0 Because if this is who Mac Jones is, and we\u2019ve seen some of the defiance bubble over in the press conferences, if he\u2019s not running the offense as it\u2019s prescribed, well then, what do you have?\u00a0 \u00a0Because it\u2019s not like he can put the cape on and be Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen, you know what I mean?\u00a0 If you don\u2019t have that one part of it, then what do you have?\u201d<\/p>\n
Breer cited an example in the third quarter of Sunday\u2019s game where Jones actually checked into a play that, after review, was a good call because it set up a potential touchdown pass to Mike Gesicki.<\/p>\n
However, Jones didn\u2019t pull the trigger as Gesicki slipped past the secondary and appeared to be off to the races.\u00a0 He instead hesitated, and as his protection finally broke down he scrambled and picked up three yards.<\/p>\n
The play was there to be had, and it apparently left coaches \u201cbaffled\u201d while trying to figure out why he didn\u2019t make the throw.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was a point in the game in the third quarter, it\u2019s right here, where Mac Jones checked to a throw to Mike Gesicki.\u00a0 Mike Gesicki came wide open down the seam, you can see him down there,\u201d explained Breer.\u00a0 \u201cMac Jones, as you can see there, tucked the ball and ran with it.\u00a0 The coaches, I know, were baffled because he checked to that play, that play\u2019s designed to go to Gesicki, Gesicki comes wide open down the seam, that thing might be a touchdown.\u00a0 He pats the ball, tucks it, and runs around the corner,\u00a0 scrambles for three yards.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI think there\u2019s some self-doubt, too, because there are other examples of plays I\u2019m told there where he\u2019s checked to screens and they\u2019ve gotten blown up.\u00a0 It\u2019s like the wiring\u2019s off right now.\u00a0 So it\u2019s beyond everything else, like, the wiring\u2019s off.\u00a0 When you check to a certain play because you see something and the play works, and the receiver is open, and all you have to do is pull the trigger and make the throw, and you\u2019re tucking the ball and running around the corner for three yards, something\u2019s not right.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bill O\u2019Brien sort of alluded to some of this on Tuesday as he spoke to reporters.\u00a0 Evan Lazar of Patriots.com asked O\u2019Brien about Jones\u2019 decision-making, noting that the quarterback appeared to be rushing through his reads.<\/p>\n
J.C. Jackson:\u00a0<\/strong>After reportedly missing curfew last week, Jackson missed the early part of last week’s game, although, things appeared to proceed relatively as usual from there for the remainder of the contest.\u00a0 However, behind the scenes, he and the coaching staff appear to be at odds, and he was left behind in Foxboro this week as a “mental reset,” according to Mike Garafolo.\u00a0 Belichick said on Friday “I think he’ll be available,” after the bye, but wouldn’t elaborate.\u00a0 “That was the decision,” he added.\u00a0 “I won’t get into it.”<\/p>\n That leaves New England down a player who has been serviceable in their secondary, with the Patriots having acquired him from Los Angeles to shore up what – at the time – was a banged-up group.\u00a0 That will be something to watch against what’s been a pretty good Colts team, which likely will see Shaun Wade step in again after he started last week against Washington.<\/p>\n Kayshon Boutte:\u00a0<\/strong>After not being elevated last week, it will be interesting to see if this might be the game we finally see Boutte active.<\/p>\n The rookie out of LSU last played back in Week 1 and he hasn’t seen the field since, with Jalen Reagor being the one who saw the lion’s share of the snaps Sunday in place of Parker.\u00a0 Reagor was in on 77% of the snaps but caught just 1-of-6 targets, including a drop on a deep play late in the contest.<\/p>\n Belichick said on Friday, “We’ll see how all that goes,” regarding Boutte, adding, “Kayshon has had a good couple of weeks here. It’s definitely trending in the right direction, so that’s been good.” Boutte was spotted working with the starters during 7-on-7s, so it’s possible today might be the day we finally see him out there.<\/p>\n Mac Jones:\u00a0<\/strong>Jones said this week that he and his teammates have a plan to deal with whatever jet lag they might be feeling ahead of Sunday’s game. “I have a game plan, and already in effect,” said Jones.\u00a0 “They’ve talked to us about it a little bit, and all that stuff. At the end of the day, stick to your routine and maybe move it up or move it back depending on how that fits for you. So, I’ve definitely done that.”\u00a0 This is a big week for Jones, who has still not yet gone out and played his best game of the season to this point in 2023.\u00a0 More on him in a bit.<\/p>\n Russ Francis\/Chuck Fairbanks:<\/strong> The former Patriot tight end and head coach should be in the Patriots team Hall of Fame, and the fact that Francis isn\u2019t in is an absolute travesty. Francis and the Raiders\u2019 Dave Casper changed the game with how teams used the tight end position\u2026this will be on our Sunday posts until it happens. Casper is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Francis\u2019 numbers stand up well against Casper\u2019s, yet he isn\u2019t in the team\u2019s.<\/p>\n Tyquan Thornton:<\/strong> It was another rough performance last week for the second-year receiver.\u00a0 Thornton caught just one of his four targets last week, including having one ugly play where he didn’t get his head around on a key third down.\u00a0 The former Baylor wideout did manage to get some support from Bill O’Brien this week.\u00a0 O’Brien praised Thornton while noting his injury issues have been what’s held him back.\u00a0 “He\u2019s a great guy, he works very, very, hard and he just hasn\u2019t had a lot of opportunities,” said O.Brien.\u00a0 “I\u2019m not making an excuse for him, I\u2019m just telling you, he hasn\u2019t been out on the field a lot.”<\/p>\n Patriots 4th & 2 Podcast:<\/strong> If you haven\u2019t listened to our PatsFans.com podcast, Patriots 4th & 2<\/em>, in a bit, please check it out. Patriots 4th & 2 is now available on our channel on YouTube<\/strong><\/a>, with Steve and Derek Havens both taking a look at what happened last Sunday, along with previewing today’s game in Germany.<\/p>\n Mac Jones has obviously had a tough year, which has his future with the football team in doubt beyond his rookie contract, and potentially sooner depending on how these final eight weeks play out.<\/p>\n Based on how he’s played so far, Jones hasn’t been able to improve on what had been a difficult 2022, with some of his past issues carrying over into this season.<\/p>\n The biggest problems plaguing Jones have been obvious.\u00a0 He’s been inconsistent and turnover prone, with his mechanics continuing to be a work in progress.\u00a0 Jones’ footwork has been something that’s been mentioned quite a bit, with the former Alabama QB often not planting and instead falling off his back foot and he certainly doesn’t have the arm to make those types of throws.<\/p>\n Looking back at film of his rookie season, that wasn’t the case.\u00a0 Jones was much more poised and mechanically sound, getting a lot more on the football and looking far less hesitant than he has this season.<\/p>\n The latter has been a notable issue.\u00a0 He’s been late getting the ball out on quite a few occasions, and it sounds like it’s become something that’s frustrating the coaching staff.<\/p>\n Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated spoke about it this week on NBC Sports Boston, with coaches frustrated about some of his decision-making.\u00a0 That includes plays where they’re seeing things open up, yet the ball just isn’t coming out of his hands.<\/p>\n \u201cSo one thing that\u2019s really infuriated people in the building is the decision-making,\u201d said Breer\u00a0during an appearance on NBC Sports Boston Wednesday<\/strong><\/a>.\u00a0 \u201cThey\u2019ve been sold this efficient game-managing quarterback, and they\u2019re not getting it.\u00a0 The decision-making hasn\u2019t been good.\u00a0 They see him passing up open receivers.\u00a0 They see things, quite frankly, that you wouldn\u2019t see from a quarterback who has those sorts of qualities.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo it\u2019s not just the physical limitations now, it\u2019s also that it doesn\u2019t feel like he\u2019s really taking the coaching, and that creates a much bigger problem.\u00a0 Because if this is who Mac Jones is, and we\u2019ve seen some of the defiance bubble over in the press conferences, if he\u2019s not running the offense as it\u2019s prescribed, well then, what do you have?\u00a0 \u00a0Because it\u2019s not like he can put the cape on and be Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen, you know what I mean?\u00a0 If you don\u2019t have that one part of it, then what do you have?\u201d<\/p>\n Breer cited an example in the third quarter of Sunday\u2019s game where Jones actually checked into a play that, after review, was a good call because it set up a potential touchdown pass to Mike Gesicki.<\/p>\n However, Jones didn\u2019t pull the trigger as Gesicki slipped past the secondary and appeared to be off to the races.\u00a0 He instead hesitated, and as his protection finally broke down he scrambled and picked up three yards.<\/p>\n The play was there to be had, and it apparently left coaches \u201cbaffled\u201d while trying to figure out why he didn\u2019t make the throw.<\/p>\n \u201cThere was a point in the game in the third quarter, it\u2019s right here, where Mac Jones checked to a throw to Mike Gesicki.\u00a0 Mike Gesicki came wide open down the seam, you can see him down there,\u201d explained Breer.\u00a0 \u201cMac Jones, as you can see there, tucked the ball and ran with it.\u00a0 The coaches, I know, were baffled because he checked to that play, that play\u2019s designed to go to Gesicki, Gesicki comes wide open down the seam, that thing might be a touchdown.\u00a0 He pats the ball, tucks it, and runs around the corner,\u00a0 scrambles for three yards.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI think there\u2019s some self-doubt, too, because there are other examples of plays I\u2019m told there where he\u2019s checked to screens and they\u2019ve gotten blown up.\u00a0 It\u2019s like the wiring\u2019s off right now.\u00a0 So it\u2019s beyond everything else, like, the wiring\u2019s off.\u00a0 When you check to a certain play because you see something and the play works, and the receiver is open, and all you have to do is pull the trigger and make the throw, and you\u2019re tucking the ball and running around the corner for three yards, something\u2019s not right.\u201d<\/p>\n Bill O\u2019Brien sort of alluded to some of this on Tuesday as he spoke to reporters.\u00a0 Evan Lazar of Patriots.com asked O\u2019Brien about Jones\u2019 decision-making, noting that the quarterback appeared to be rushing through his reads.<\/p>\n(PHOTO: Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\nCoaches “Baffled” with Jones:<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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