Mac Jones needs to return to being “Alabama Mac.”
That’s what the Patriots quarterback instructed Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer lately. Jones led Alabama to a nationwide championship as a senior and was named a consensus All-American in 2020. So, it’s most likely a good suggestion.
But what does being “Alabama Mac” entail?
“I think just continuing to work hard and be myself and going out there and distributing the ball,” Jones stated on WEEI’s Jones and Mego with Arcand” present. “We have nice playmakers right here. And I really feel like I did my finest at Alabama after I simply obtained the ball to different folks and allow them to make performs. So that’s what all of it comes right down to. It’s fairly easy.
“Just be a point guard and let them go and make all the plays and score the touchdowns and then celebrate with offensive line. That’s what it’s all about for me is everybody coming together and enjoying your success. That’s a big part of it. It’s hard to score in this league. You want to score as many times as you can.”
The Patriots have a wide selection of offensive skill-position gamers of their offense from working backs Rhamondre Stevenson and Ezekiel Elliott to large receivers JuJu Smith-Schuster, DeVante Parker, Kendrick Bourne, Demario Douglas and Tyquan Thornton and tight ends Hunter Henry and Mike Gesicki. But that is the NFL.
And when Jones was dominating at Alabama, he had three future first-round picks at his disposal in working again Najee Harris and large receivers DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle. The offense additionally featured future second-round decide John Metchie at large receiver and one other NFL beginning working again in Brian Robinson.
Jones referenced his time at Alabama once more when speaking about his reference to new Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien. Jones was requested if O’Brien — whose final job was at Alabama — continuously introduced up what he did as OC the final time he held the place with the Patriots over 10 years in the past.
“It’s the Patriots, but for me it’s Alabama too,” Jones stated. “Not to convey up the previous an excessive amount of, however he’s seen the system that I ran at Alabama. Then clearly what he did right here early on, you understand, 2007 or no matter it was, and people years. So he has numerous information of not solely this method however Alabama’s system and issues that I’ve accomplished up to now. So that’s cool for me. And numerous the fellows on our staff actually respect that about him. Because he can are available in and be like, ‘Hey, we tried this versus this team’ and and he’ll pull up the movie of it or, ‘We really liked this play versus that look.’
“So I think that’s a good point that that the whole team really respects it because he has a lot of experience not only at the pro level as a head coach but as a coordinator here for the Patriots, at Alabama, as a head coach in college. So he’s kind of done a lot of different things, which is really cool.”
Jones looks like he has two-way communication with O’Brien and that he can recommend modifications, as nicely. O’Brien by no means coached Jones at Alabama, however they did forge a relationship as they crossed over from the 2020 to 2021 seasons.
“I’d say like he’s really good about pulling up all the old film and making sure that everything’s sound, and that’s another great point,” Jones stated. “It’s like, ‘Hey, can we try this?’ And he’s at all times very open to attempting issues particularly throughout follow. But on the finish of the day, I do know he’s the coach and he’s gonna make the suitable calls within the sport, But it’s undoubtedly a partnership such as you stated.
“You want to be able to work together regardless of who your coach is every time you go out there. To have the trust in him and then him to trust you to do the right thing. So still building that. We have a lot of stuff we got to work through. But at the same time, I’ve been really pleased with a lot of the progress we made from before OTAs to OTAs to training camp to kind of putting it into a game.”
Jones is attempting to regain the success he had as a rookie with the Patriots when he led the staff to the playoffs. The staff dropped off final season as Matt Patricia and Joe Judge changed ex-offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.
Source: www.bostonherald.com