Mac wisely putting faith in RB White
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — For all the parallels drawn between Mac Jones and Tom Brady — fair, unfair or downright crazy — there’s one commonality that’s already, undeniably emerged in the infancy of Jones’ career.
In times of trouble, he wisely turns to James White.
White finished with a team-high six catches for 45 yards in Sunday’s win at the Jets, the second straight game he’s led the Patriots. With White as his release valve, Jones successfully navigated another afternoon under constant pressure, and led the Pats to their first win. White also scored the day’s first touchdown, which proved to be the game-winner.
“Based off the way they were aligned, it was a good run look,” he said of the 7-yard score. “The offensive line did a great job blocking, the receivers, and I just wanted to do my job.”
On that play, sure. But since Jones was drafted in late April, White has done much more for the face of the franchise. Jones explained post-game how White has quietly eased his development, particularly in difficult spots, of which there were several at MetLife Stadium.
“Meeting him all the way back in OTAs, he’s the man. He knows every little thing about the offense,” Jones said. “And if I ever struggle in the huddle, he’s like, ‘here it is.’ He knows the call, too, so he helps me out, and that’s something I always kind of look at him in the huddle if I’m struggling. Because he’s a really calm, cool and collected guy and makes plays with the ball in his hands.”
Two snaps before he crossed the goal line, White held the ball and triggered a double-pass play that resulted in a 19-yard reception for Jonnu Smith. Running right on an apparent sweep play, White stopped around New York’s 35-yard line and flipped the ball back to Jones, which sent the Jets scrambling and their crowd into a nervous frenzy. White said he had only one thought in his mind.
“Better get it to him,” White laughed post-game. “Make sure nobody’s over there, so I don’t throw an interception. Just get it to him so he can make a play.”
Now inside the red zone, White executed on another wise call by offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, who broke tendency by dialing up the Patriots’ third handoff from a shotgun formation in 38 snaps this season. And then he called White’s number again, once more from shotgun, knowing his veteran back could take care of the rest.
“I think that drive definitely was big for us, to actually drive down the ball and actually score. The past two weeks, we’ve had some long drives that we haven’t scored touchdowns,” White said. “We’ve just got to do a better job of finishing in the red zone and eliminating some of the penalties, as well.”
The 68-yard march finished as the Patriots’ longest of the day, a building block toward better offense in the coming weeks. Blocks they’ll surely lay if they, like their young quarterback, keep following White’s lead.
Folk sets FG record
Nick Folk will never be remembered among the greatest kickers in Patriots history.
But on Sunday, Folk achieved a feat neither Adam Vinatieri, Stephen Gostkowski or Gino Cappelletti ever managed in a Pats uniform.
By drilling a 32-yarder late in the third quarter of Sunday’s game at the Jets, Folk set a franchise record with 32 consecutive made field goals. Earlier in the day, Folk nailed kicks from 46 and 49 yards away. He broke Gostkowski’s mark of 31 straight set in 2015, but downplayed the record’s significance to him personally.
“It doesn’t matter to me, really. (I’ve) never been one for records,” Folk said postgame. “All that credit goes to really, Jake (Bailey) and Joe (Cardona) and the line the last two years … it all goes to them. I’m just lucky enough to score the points.”
Reminded of the kicking company he’s kept in recent franchise history, Folk called himself lucky to follow Vinatieri and Gostkowski, but said that gave his new record no added meaning.
“I just want to win,” he said. “So that’s what I’m all about.”
The Patriots elevated Folk from the practice squad on Saturday, the second straight week they chose to promote the 36-year-old veteran. It’s expected Folk will sign to the active roster soon, with an open spot available after undrafted rookie kicker Quinn Nordin was placed on injured reserve earlier in the week.
The Pats originally signed Folk in 2019 as an injury replacement for Gostkowski. Folk then enjoyed one of the best seasons of his career in 2020, hitting two game-winners from 50-plus yards away.
Durant starts, struggles at RT
Trent Brown left a 6-foot-8, 380-pound hole on the right side of the Patriots’ offensive line Sunday.
Yasir Durant did his best to fill it. But it wasn’t good enough.
Less than a month after getting traded to New England, Durant made his second career NFL start against the Jets and got benched late in the first half. He allowed two sacks on the same second-quarter drive, before later yielding to Justin Herron. Durant briefly reentered the game once Herron went down with an ankle seconds before halftime.
However, Herron was healthy enough to start the second half, and Durant returned to the bench. In all, Jones took three sacks and was hit two other times amid several hurries.
Stevenson, Asiasi sit
After a rough pro debut last week, rookie running back Rhamondre Stevenson was a healthy scratch Sunday. Stevenson sat in favor of J.J. Taylor, who was inactive for the team’s season opener against Miami.
Against the Dolphins, Stevenson fumbled and allowed a hit on Jones in one of his two snaps in blitz pickup. The fourth-rounder was well-regarded for his pass protection skills coming out of Oklahoma, an area most rookies struggle in New England. Without him, the Pats leaned heavily on Damien Harris and White, with Taylor seeing only a handful of offensive snaps.
He finished with two rushes for three total yards.
The Patriots’ other inactives were offensive tackle Brown (calf ), linebacker Kyle Van Noy (throat), tight end Devin Asiasi, rookie linebacker Ronnie Perkins and cornerback Shaun Wade. Third-year offensive tackle Yodny Cajuste was active for the first time in his pro career.