NFL QB ranking: Patriots impressive rookie Mac Jones rises in QB index
How did Mac Jones do in his debut as the new man under center for the New England Patriots?
Well, the team couldn’t quite get it done against the Miami Dolphins, but many Patriots fans and NFL strategists throughout the league was impressed by the rookie and how comfortable he looked in the game after his first drop back resulted in a fumble.
Impressively, the Alabama product bounced back nicely, showcasing accuracy, decision-making and toughness in the pocket as he completed 74.4 percent of his passes for 281 yards and a touchdown.
Despite coming up short on the scoreboard, Jones was the most impressive rookie quarterback in Week 1 and is giving every indication that the New England Patriots may have the steal of the draft by selecting Jones at No. 15 in a loaded 2021 quarterback class.
It was a small sample size, but the kid handled himself well which was enough for him to rise two spots to No. 21 in NFL.com’s Week 2 QB index.
Patriots rookie quarterback Mac Jones living up to the hype
Like the man who came in at No. 2 on the list, Jones showed a nice pocket presence and awareness as the Dolphins threw everything at him defensively. He made some impressive throws and like Tom Brady, he took what was given to him and made the throws that was given to him.
In all, he created some believers and NFL.com’s Gregg Rosenthal further that belief by predicting big things for the rookie the remainder of the season:
"“His first career dropback was a fumble, the type of rookie mental short-circuiting that was so absent in Jones’ preseason. After that, he barely had a negative play. It was stunning to see the Patriots going empty and changing pace in key late situations, with Jones calling out protections and making some plays outside the pocket. It was even more stunning to see Jones win so often against pressure with pinpoint accuracy. Based on everything we’ve seen so far, it won’t be surprising if he has the best season of any of the rookie quarterbacks.”"
There is no dispute about the No. 21 ranking considering Mac Jones is a rookie and just came off his first regular-season NFL experience. With quarterbacks like Jimmy Garoppolo, Ben Rothlisberger, Carson Wentz and Teddy Bridgewater occupying the spots ahead of him, Jones could rise a bit with another solid performance in Week 2 against the New York Jets, especially if he finds ways to actually lead his team into the end zone.
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But, besides his rise in the QB index, what really stood out about Mac Jones is how he responded to a loss. As a quarterback not accustomed to losing during his days at Alabama, Jones immediately put the blame on himself for the team’s loss and begin studying film for the next game. That is the mark of something special in a quarterback.
Another measurement of a good quarterback is how opposing players view him. Miami Dolphins veteran cornerback Jason McCourty was impressed by the play of Jones. The Ex-Patriots defensive back added high praise of the New England Patriots rookie during his appearance on the Bill Simmon’s podcast this week.
"“Man, he didn’t make any mistakes in the game,” McCourty said, as transcribed by WEEI. “He was poised. Even between plays, he’s yelling at the offense to get it going. Just a guy that seemed in total control of the offense, making the checks at the line of scrimmage. Even when we watched him on film in the preseason, it was like, this guy’s a rookie, but he’s playing like a veteran out there. So, we kind of knew we were going to have to bring our best game to be able to defeat him.”"
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The Dolphins did do that, but every time they put the kid to the test, Jones did deliver. If it wasn’t for a couple of fumbles from the running backs, especially a big one from Damien Harris deep in Dolphins’ territory late in the game, the outcome would’ve been different and perhaps the praise would be that much higher for the rookie from others and himself.
As of Week 1, the grade is good for Mac Jones and expect him to rise even higher in the NFL.com QB index as his confidence grows and the wins start to rack up.