New England Patriots: All the reason Mac Jones will be THE GUY in 2022
The New England Patriots offense could morph into something very special in 2022 under the leadership and behind the mind of one Mac Jones.
Yeah, yeah, I know. What kind of Year 2 leap can Jones really make with former Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels now doing his thing as the head honcho of the Las Vegas Raiders and the combination of Joe Judge and Matt Patricia now kind of serving that role.
While the mental capacity of Bill Belichick is being questioned daily on that Judge/Patricia decision, one thing that can’t be questioned is the coach’s confidence in Jones to be the guy, that guy for the Patriots in 2022.
New England Patriots are placing a lot of faith in Mac Jones
What I mean by that guy is there will be more responsibility put on the second-year quarterback in his second season in the NFL as there should be. With a little bit more around him as far as targets, Mac’s mind is what puts him in position to really succeed.
No, he doesn’t have the big arm critics like “First Things First” co-host Nick Wright takes shots at repeatedly, but a cerebral quarterback typically outshines the quarterback with the talent when the system caters to that quarterbacking skill.
Of course, the New England Patriots have seen what this looks like on the field with Tom Brady under center for two decades. We have also seen what it doesn’t look like in one season of Cam Newton scrambling around and throwing balls into the dirt. But this is not about Brady or Cam, it’s about Mac Jones and what he can bring to the table in Year 2.
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Can he be a master on the football field?
NBC Sports analyst Chris Simms broke it down when he unveiled his 2022 quarterback rankings. While Mac Jones came in at No. 18 on the list, marveled at the mind of the Patriots young quarterback and all he can become as a leader.
"“He had to play a real system without being managed or massaged,” Simms said, as transcribed by NBC Sports. “(The demand was) ‘You gotta really be a pro quarterback Week 1. Gotta be able to run two-minute and we need to depend on you on third-and-4 that you’ll throw a pinpoint pass for 5 yards like Brady did in Year 15.’ That’s basically what he was asked to do. With no down-the field threat to scare people.”"
With the addition of second-round pick Tyquan Thornton and veteran receiver DeVante Parker, the New England Patriots will look to exploit more of that down-the-field element that Mac Jones did show during his days at Alabama. But, at the same time, those pinpoint short passes Simms outlined will still be a part of the gameplan. With Thornton, Parker and playmakers like Kendrick Bourne, Jonnu Smith, Nelson Agholor and Jakobi Meyers, the offense will depend on those players’ ability to create yards after the catch. That will depend even more on the accuracy of Jones.
"“When I went back and watched it was better than I even remembered,” Simms continued. “Incredible accuracy. Incredible touch. Incredible anticipation. Do I wish his arm was a little more strong and explosive? Sure. But going back and watching all his throws I went, ‘Hmmm. His arm is better than I pictured in my mind at time.’ Made a lot of big time throws down the field with not necessarily big-time players. Had a lot of big-time throws dropped and balls where you go, ‘Man, the ball is on the f—ing money here…and they didn’t make the play to help him out.”"
Can and will that be different in 2022 for Mac Jones?
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Will players like Smith and Agholor step up and have better seasons than they did a year ago and catch some of those balls Simms was talking about? Will a player like DeVante Parker give Jones that reliable down-the-field target who will open things up in the middle of the field?
Let’s not forget the chemistry Jones formed with tight end Hunter Henry and let’s also not forget that the Patriots have versatile running backs in Damien Harris, Rhamondre Stevenson and James White who could also bail Mac Jones out during times when he is under pressure.
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In concluding, the New England Patriots have the elements of a pretty good offense in 2022 if Jones does take that leap the team is expecting. Despite lacking the big star power critics and fans want and think they need, despite Judge and Patricia running the offense, Jones has the tools to be the guy and make players around him better…he kind of has too for the Patriots to compete in the NFL this upcoming season.