New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones gave a candid response to his latest benching after a tough outing against the New York Giants. The Patriots had refused to publicly announce their starting quarterback for Sunday’s game, but ultimately went with Jones over Bailey Zappe after splitting reps in practice.
However, Jones’ performance didn’t live up to expectations. He threw two interceptions in the first half and failed to lead the Patriots to any points, prompting his benching in the second half. This marks the fourth time in 11 games that Jones has been benched this season.
“Coach (Bill) O’Brien told me I was out, and I understood,” Jones said in his postgame press conference. “I wasn’t moving the ball and we weren’t scoring points. I understand why that happened.”
Jones completed 12 of 21 pass attempts for 89 yards with zero touchdowns and two interceptions before being replaced. He candidly admitted that his performance was not up to par, stating, “Just bad quarterback play, wasn’t good enough by me. If the quarterback doesn’t play well, you have no chance.”
The Patriots’ handling of the quarterback position this season has raised questions, with Jones being repeatedly benched. When asked if he believed he was put in the best position to succeed, Jones responded, “It’s my job to go out there and play well regardless of the circumstances. There are no excuses not to.”
Bill Belichick declined to give a clear answer on who will start at quarterback in Week 13 against the Los Angeles Chargers, further adding to the uncertainty around the position. The Patriots have struggled offensively, scoring more than 20 points only once this season, and poor quarterback play has been a major contributing factor to their struggles.
The handling of the quarterback position and the team’s offensive struggles raise serious concerns about the Patriots’ future as they continue to navigate a challenging season.