FOXBORO — Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien expects quarterback Mac Jones to start out Sunday at Las Vegas regardless of being benched in every of the crew’s final two video games.
“I do. I do,” O’Brien stated Tuesday when requested if he anticipates Jones beginning.
Jones dedicated three turnovers in final Sunday’s 34-0 shutout loss to the Saints and the Patriots’ 38-3 defeat at Dallas in Week 4. Backup quarterback Bailey Zappe changed him within the second half of each video games, however didn’t show he might run the offense at a better stage regardless of not turning the ball over. The Patriots additionally failed to guard Jones constantly and create separation of their routes, one thing O’Brien appeared to trace at when sharing his evaluation of his beginning quarterback.
“(Jones) would be the first to tell you that there’s things that he has to do better, whether it’s obviously taking care of the ball or, you know, maybe reading the route better, getting us into a better play, whatever it is. But it’s a collective effort,” O’Brien stated. “That’s why it’s not a one on one sport. It’s an 11-man sport. You’re making an attempt to get 11 guys on the identical web page to do the appropriate factor on each play. And proper now, we’re not close to doing that.
Asked about Zappe probably seeing extra reps in apply this week, O’Brien appeared to sidestep the query whereas confirming Jones takes many of the snaps because the starter.
“I would say that Mac definitely gets most of the reps. (Zappe) gets reps, and (third-string quarterback) Will Grier gets reps,” O’Brien stated. “Now, those reps might be scout-team reps or some portion of practice that those guys would get the majority of the reps during that portion of practice. But yeah, they rep every week.”
As for fixing the offense as an entire, having scored three factors within the final two video games and failed to attain a landing in 34 straight drives, O’Brien stated the Patriots haven’t been constant and should cease turning the ball over. Head coach Bill Belichick emphasised defending the ball earlier than Sunday’s loss to New Orleans, when Jones threw a pick-six on the crew’s second drive. Belichick pulled Jones after he threw a second interception within the second half.
“It always goes back to your fundamentals. Your teaching progressions, your fundamentals as a player, team sport, everybody sticking together and making sure that we take care of the little things. Those are the things that are hurting us right now,” O’Brien stated.
“Look, at the end of the day, like returning the ball or too much. That’s the number one thing: we got to stop turning the ball over. You got to take care of the ball. And so we’ve got to start there.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com