Optimistic Mac Jones sticking to his routine
QB: ‘A lot of the times you really do have to trust what you know’
Through better or worse — and it’s been a lot of the latter so far this season — Patriots QB Mac Jones is sticking with his process.
Jones, who hasn’t thrown a touchdown pass since Week 3 and has five interceptions in that span, was asked Wednesday whether he needs to change his weekly routine.
It seemed like Jones had bottomed out as an NFL quarterback after a 2022 season that saw him go 6-8 as a starter while ranking 30th among 33 qualified QBs in the QBR metric. He’s started the year 1-5 and ranks 30th with an even worse 36.8 QBR.
“That’s one of the tough things in sports and life, right? Am I doing something so wrong that we’re just missing it or whatever? A lot of the times you really do have to trust what you know, trust your routine,” Jones said. “That’s what really good people do. They just stick with it and maybe adjust something here or there, but at the end of the day, they’re going to stick to their routine. And what we talked about, the results will come if you just focus on what you’re supposed to do like 99% of the time.”
So, has Jones stayed true to his routine through thick and thin this season?
“Yeah. I have. I’ve stuck with it,” Jones said. “I’ve taken advice from people. Maybe tweaked something here or there, but for the most part, that’s what I’ve done going back to when I was playing when I was little. Just sticking to my routine and adding things that I can add.”
Jones ranks 31st in expected points added (EPA) per play this season. He’s 24th in success rate and 29th in completion percentage over expected. He’s 29th in overall PFF grade, 30th in passing grade and 26th in passing grade under pressure. Maybe even more damning, Jones ranks 32nd in passing grade with a clean pocket.
It would have been nearly impossible to predict Jones would play worse this season with Bill O’Brien as his offensive coordinator than he did with Matt Patricia and Joe Judge running the show in 2022, but that’s the reality of the situation.
A new Lowe?
One change on the depth chart isn’t going to suddenly turn the Patriots’ season around, but Bill Belichick should look into making at least one switch this week.
Vederian Lowe has started the last four games at right tackle following a Week 2 start at left tackle and ranks 62nd of 64 qualified tackles in overall PFF grade, 45th in run blocking grade and dead last in pass blocking grade. He’s allowed the most pressures and has the second-lowest pass-block efficiency rate.
Lowe allowed Sunday’s game-clinching safety in the 21-17 loss to the Raiders.
And the Patriots do have other options on their offensive line beyond Lowe, who was acquired in a trade with the Vikings before the season. Calvin Anderson was benched after starting the Patriots’ first two games at right tackle.
Belichick said Anderson is “very close” to regaining his strength from the spring after dealing with an undisclosed ailment that landed him on the non-football illness list for most of training camp. Anderson did struggle in the first two weeks of the season, but he had a much quicker hook than Lowe despite allowing a lower pressure rate.
Veteran Riley Reiff, who missed the first four weeks of the season on injured reserve with a knee injury suffered in the preseason, looked like a potential option at right tackle after playing guard in Week 5. But he was ruled out of Week 6 with a knee injury.
Belichick said that was not a setback and instead a “different injury.”
The Patriots also signed offensive tackle Conor McDermott to their practice squad this week. McDermott received starting reps at right tackle over the summer before getting injured in joint practices against the Packers. The Patriots released him from injured reserve earlier this season.
“Yeah, Conor was with us in training camp, and then we did the injury settlement with him,” Belichick said. “It’s good to have him back.”
The Patriots have three more options to play right tackle, as well. Rookie Sidy Sow played the position this summer but has only lined up at guard so far this season. Right guard Mike Onwenu, who dressed only in an emergency role Sunday after being listed as questionable, has played well at right tackle in the past. The team also has Andrew Stueber on their practice squad.
Injury report
The Patriots listed 20 players on their practice report Wednesday with six absences.
Offensive tackle Trent Brown, tight end Hunter Henry, cornerback Jonathan Jones, outside linebacker Josh Uche and defensive end Keion White all played in Sunday’s loss to the Raiders before missing practice Wednesday. Reiff did not travel to Las Vegas with a new knee injury.
Running back Rhamondre Stevenson and defensive tackle Davon Godchaux were limited after missing Tuesday’s practice session.
Wide receivers JuJu Smith-Schuster and Demario Douglas are players to watch as they progress through concussion protocol. Onwenu dressed but didn’t play in Sunday’s loss. Left guard Cole Strange has not suited up in a game since Week 2.
The Patriots would have to activate safety Cody Davis and defensive end Trey Flowers off of the PUP list and cornerback Jack Jones off of injured reserve for them to play Sunday against the Bills.
Extra points
The Patriots signed running back Patrick Taylor and defensive end William Bradley-King to their practice squad Wednesday. The team released wide receiver T.J. Luther and defensive tackle Manny Jones … First-round pick Christian Gonzalez posted to social media that his shoulder surgery went well … Mac Jones texted ex-Patriots running back Damien Harris after the current Bill was carted off of the field with neck and head injuries. “It sounds like he’s doing good. So, Damien’s definitely one of my good friends and he’s a great football player and has played a lot of plays in this league and for us as a Patriot, so I have a lot of respect for him and his family and everybody,” he said.