FOXBORO — Patriots coach Bill Belichick confirmed Thursday that Mac Jones will begin Sunday’s recreation on the Jets, and mentioned the choice to start out Jones was solely associated to the quarterback’s well being.
“Yes. He’s ready to play,” Belichick mentioned. “He was ready to play last week, just didn’t (play) the full game. This week is a different situation, and that’s it. We’ll take it from there.”
Asked if Bailey Zappe’s efficiency in final Monday’s loss to Chicago factored into the choice to start out Jones, Belichick added: “No. That’s it.”
Zappe threw two interceptions in a scoreless second half and had one cross batted on the line in 4 second-half collection. He completed 14-of-22 for 185 yards, one landing and two picks, after changing Jones early within the second quarter. Zappe additionally took a sack. Over the Pats’ first three possessions, Jones accomplished half his passes and led the offense right into a pair of punts and one interception.
The Patriots didn’t record Jones on their damage report Wednesday, the crew’s first experiences in 4 weeks that didn’t embrace him. He took 90% of the beginning reps in Wednesday’s apply, based on a supply.
“Mac took a full workload yesterday, and I expect him to be fully available here for the game and ready to go,” Belichick mentioned Thursday. “So that’s really it for that.”
Belichick didn’t decide to beginning Jones past Sunday, nonetheless. His refusal to anoint Jones previous this weekend was a stark distinction to Belichick’s insistence that Cam Newton was the crew’s quarterback even whereas Newton was benched thrice within the 2020 season. Belichick was additionally steadfast that Tom Brady would stay the starter in 2014 after he was benched in a depressing Week 4 loss to the Chiefs, and years earlier when Brady changed Drew Bledsoe throughout a 2001 Super Bowl marketing campaign.
“I don’t want to go through a lot of hypotheticals. That’s where not we’re at,” Belichick mentioned. “We’re getting ready for the Jets. That’s where we’re at. Period.”
He later added: “You’re going to give me a bunch of hypothetical situations, then I don’t know what those hypotheticals are, so we’re not going to get into that.”
On the season, Jones has accomplished 65% of his passes for 799 yards, two touchdowns and 6 interceptions. With Jones, the Patriots have pivoted to a risker downfield passing assault, which has pushed him into the league lead for common depth of goal amongst quarterbacks with no less than 4 begins. On common, he’s focused receivers who’re 10.4 yards downfield, greater than two yards larger than his common final season.
With Zappe, the Pats have used a shorter, safer passing recreation that’s produced a median depth of goal of seven.4 yards. He’s additionally dropped beneath middle extra usually, which has amplified the optimistic results of the Patriots’ play-action passing recreation. When Jones has performed, the Patriots have operated extra incessantly from shotgun, one thing Jones
Source: www.bostonherald.com