Did Mac Jones hit the Sauce?
Sauce Gardner brought receipts.
The Jets cornerback, who accused Patriots quarterback Mac Jones of delivering a low blow Sunday, posted a video to social media of the exchange with the caption, “posting this so I don’t get fined lol.”
Gardner shoved Jones to the ground early in the fourth quarter following a play in which the Pats QB failed to convert for a first down on a QB sneak. Jones was tackled to the ground late by Jets linebacker C.J. Mosley. Gardner is accusing Jones of hitting him in the “private parts” after the QB initially got back up to his feet and prior to getting shoved back onto the ground.
The Athletic’s Dianna Russini posted a clearer and close-up video of the incident, which does appear to show Jones hitting Gardner below the belt.
The NFL is looking into the situation, a league source told ProFootballTalk.
Jones has been accused of being a dirty player on multiple other occasions.
Jones denied the cheap shot after Sunday’s 15-10 win over the Jets. He was asked about it again on WEEI’s “Jones and Mego with Arcand” program.
“Yeah, Sauce, I mean, Sauce is one of the best corners in the NFL,” Jones said. “So, I have a lot of respect for him, and on that play, just nothing was intentional and I just got up and went back to the huddle, and that’s it.”
Jones was asked a follow-up about what happened after the play.
“Um, it’s football,” he said. “So just trying to get up and go back to the huddle, and like I just said, nothing there.”
Jones was specifically asked if contact was made with Gardner where the cornerback is alleging.
“Oh, I kind of already answered that one,” Jones said. “So, I’m good on that. I already talked about it.”
Jones deflected when asked if the NFL has reached out to him about the incident.
Gonzo draws elite comparison
The Patriots’ 2023 season is off to a slow start, but first-round pick Christian Gonzalez certainly is not.
The 21-year-old Oregon product has had very few missteps while facing off against some of the NFL’s best wide receivers. On Sunday, he matched up against Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson and — through some help from the inept play of quarterback Zach Wilson — mostly erased him in the 15-10 win.
Garrett Wilson caught just five passes on nine targets for 48 yards in the contest. Gonzalez also had a pass breakup against Jets wideout Allen Lazard.
Gonzalez allowed three catches on four targets for 18 yards to Garrett Wilson and two catches on three targets for 27 yards to Lazard, per PFF.
“Well, one of the best things about Christian, especially at that position, is he’s very even-keeled,” Bill Belichick told WEEI’s The Greg Hill Show on Monday morning. “He’s not overly emotional one way or another. He’s got a good, calm demeanor. A lot like [Stephon] Gilmore did.”
Gilmore was the NFL’s defensive player of the year in 2019. Now a member of the Cowboys, Gilmore will face the Patriots this Sunday in Dallas.
Gonzalez has allowed just 15 passes on 22 targets for 148 yards with an interception and two pass breakups this season, per PFF. He’s PFF’s thirdhighest-graded qualified cornerback and highestgraded rookie conerback this season.
Elliott to face Cowboys
Inside the visitors locker room Sunday at MetLife Stadium, Ezekiel Elliott had less than an hour to celebrate his first win as a Patriot before looking ahead.
Elliott didn’t need a reminder of the next opponent on the Patriots’ schedule. It’s his former team, the one he hoped to spend his entire career with: Dallas.
“I was definitely disappointed, but everything happens for a reason. God has his plan for us. I’m excited for this next chapter in my life,” Elliott said before later adding: “No one wants to leave the team they’re with. But more importantly, I’m very happy with where I’m at.”
Elliott played the first seven years of his career in Dallas, where he took almost 2,000 carries, made three Pro Bowls and one All-Pro team. He won Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2016, rushing for 1,631 yards and 15 touchdowns, single-season marks he’s yet to top again. Elliott enjoyed three more 1,000yard seasons in Dallas before the Cowboys released him last spring.
Five months later, the Pats inked him to a 1-year deal. Against the Jets on Sunday, he rushed for a season-high 80 yards on 16 carries.
Elliott, 28, later reflected on his time in Dallas, which included winning the first College Football Playoff national title with Ohio State in January 2015.
“It’s going to be fun to go back to Dallas, a place where I spent so much time and a stadium that I played in a lot. It means a lot,” Elliott said “I actually won a national championship inside AT&T Stadium. I have a lot of history in that stadium.
It’ll be fun to get back out there in front of the fans.”
Belichick hasn’t lost faith in Stevenson
One of the few locks that the Patriots could seemingly count on heading into the 2023 season was Rhamondre Stevenson’s play as one of the NFL’s best young running backs.
So, it’s been a pretty major surprise to see Stevenson struggle three games into the season.
Belichick is clearly standing by his 25-year-old ball carrier, however.
“Yeah, I think Rhamondre reads blocks really well,” Belichick said Monday morning on a video conference call with the media. “Probably as good as anybody we’ve had here. He’s got really good vision. He can find space in the defense and he’s very good at lateral cuts and getting downhill, running with power. Yeah, I think his vision’s really good.”
Stevenson is averaging just 2.9 yards per carry after his recent 19-attempt, 59-yard performance in Sunday afternoon’s win over the Jets. He’s picked up 134 yards and a touchdown on 46 carries, and 124 of those yards have come before contact, per Pro Football Reference. His 0.2 yards after contact per carry ranks 43rd among 47 qualified running backs. Elliott ranks one slot lower at 44th.