Patriots Rumored to Face Mac Jones in Special Matchup This Season
It's an exciting week to be a football fan because the 2024 NFL schedule will be officially unveiled on Wednesday. The New England Patriots already know their 17 opponents for the upcoming campaign, however, the order of the matchups and when they'll take place will remain up in the air for another few days.
One matchup that Patriots fans are looking forward to is the announced tilt against the Jacksonville Jaguars. After all, it'll give the New England faithful a chance to see former quarterback Mac Jones, who was traded to the Jaguars in exchange for a 2024 sixth-rounder (QB Joe Milton, Tennessee) back in March.
While we don't know when the Patriots will face the Jaguars just yet, the latest rumor surrounding the upcoming tilt has put a bigger spotlight on the highly anticipated matchup.
Patriots Rumored to Face Jaguars in London
Local beat writer Ben Belford-Peltzman reported on Monday that the Patriots are rumored to be facing the Jaguars in London next season. Belford-Peltzman adds that the official date is unknown, however, it'd mark New England's first trip to England in over a decade.
The #Patriots are expected to play the #Jaguars in London this season, sources say. However, a specific date is unknown at this time. The NFL schedule is expected to release on Wednesday. pic.twitter.com/luSYE82gQ6
— Ben Belford-Peltzman (@thepatriotsbeat) May 13, 2024
Interestingly enough, it was rumored last week that New England and Jacksonville would be facing off in the Week 7 Monday Night Football showdown, which Belford-Peltzman seemingly confirms.
Follow up: I’m told the London game will take place on October 20th — Week 7.
— Ben Belford-Peltzman (@thepatriotsbeat) May 13, 2024
Important to note, the schedule is still fluid until it’s officially announced. Teams will start receiving schedules today and tomorrow.
The expectation is still the Patriots will travel to London. https://t.co/AghcXnR6jf
Neither the Patriots nor the Jaguars are strangers to the international stage. Since the start of the 2007 campaign, New England has participated in four international matchups with two of those taking place in London, where the Pats last notched a 45-7 victory over the then-St. Louis Rams back on Oct. 28, 2012.
Since that blowout victory, the Patriots have played in Mexico (2017) and just played in Germany last season, losing 10-6 to the Indianapolis Colts at Deutsche Bank Park.
As for the Jaguars, they lead all NFL franchises with 11 international games, going 6-5 along the way. Aside from the 2020 COVID-19 campaign, Jacksonville has played at least one game in England every year since 2013, most recently overcoming the Buffalo Bills 25-20 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in 2023.
But regardless of when next season's Patriots vs. Jaguars matchup takes place, it remains to be seen if Jones even plays a factor in the outcome. All eyes are on the former 202115th-overall selection to see if he can even survive Jacksonville's training camp after 2-9 with 2,210 passing yards and 10 touchdowns to 12 interceptions in 11 starts with New England last year.
The Patriots have rarely lost to the Jaguars since the latter joined the NFL in 1995, going 12-2 across 14 all-time matchups. It was a lopsided tilt when they last squared off in Week 17 of the 2021 season, ending in a 50-10 victory for the Pats as Jones threw for 227 passing yards and three TDs while Rhamondre Stevenson racked up 107 passing yards and two scores on 19 carries.
At the end of the time, time will tell if the Patriots can replicate that result and continue their dominance over the Jaguars. We'll have a better idea if they'll get that opportunity to do so in London by the end of Wednesday.
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