Mac Jones reportedly clashed with QB coach Joe Judge amid Patriots offensive dysfunction
You will not be surprised to hear the New England Patriots offense was struggling behind closed doors as much as it was on the field. Given how much of the Patriots' future rests on Jones becoming a quality NFL quarterback, Judge's future may be particularly questionable. Belichick would blast him in practice, and it wasn't uncommon for Judge and Jones to trade profanity-laced outbursts. The Patriots' offensive plan this season was to reportedly take McDaniels' concepts, throw in some Sean McVay ideas (play-action passes in particular) and simplify the gameplan overall for quicker execution. The good news for the Patriots is O'Brien actually has experience on offense and reportedly has Jones' stamp of approval.
wftv.comMac Jones fined over $23K for low block on Eli Apple, actions after Rhamondre Stevenson fumble
New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones received two fines following the team's Week 16 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Jones was fined $13,367 for his low block attempt on Bengals cornerback Eli Apple. Jones was also fined $10,609 for a separate unnecessary roughness violation after Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson's fumble. Mac Jones was fined twice in last week's game:$13,367 for the low block on Eli Apple and $10,609 for actions after Rhamondre Stevenson's fumble. — Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) December 31, 2022Jones received plenty of criticism for his attempted block on Apple.
wftv.comMac Jones on talk that he's a dirty player: 'Everybody has an opinion'
Mac Jones is facing growing accusations of being a dirty player. #Patriots QB Mac Jones discussed the growing opinion outside of the locker room that he is a "dirty player. What is Mac Jones doing here? But he did draw the ire of Apple, who told reporters postgame that it was a "dirty play." The play prompted allegations of past dirty play, from media and from Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Darius Slay.
wftv.comNFL reportedly investigating Mac Jones' 'dirty play' on Eli Apple; Patriots QB calls low hit part of the game'
A low hit by Mac Jones on Eli Apple has sparked public debate between the two players and multiple accusations that the Patriots quarterback plays "dirty." Apple, a Bengals cornerback, trailed the play as Patriots receiver Tyquan Thornton also gave chase. After the game, Apple was candid in his assessment of Jones' dive. "I thought it was a dirty play. Now he can add a growing chorus of dirty play accusations to his woes.
wftv.comVince Wilfork doesn't like Mac Jones' frustrated outbursts: 'I'm tired of it'
"I'm tired of it, honestly," Wilfork told NBC Sports Boston. "I'm tired of it. You can't be frustrated every single week, every single play. I think a lot of other people are tired of seeing it and I'm here to say it: We're tired of seeing it." "I'm going to show emotion and be passionate about this game, because I love this game," Jones said, via Mike Reiss of ESPN.
wftv.comFantasy Football Week 15 Wrap: Rhamondre Stevenson shines, contributes to one of the craziest NFL endings you'll ever see
He and Christian McCaffrey are the only players in the league with 50+ catches and 700 rushing yards this season. Adams finished with 28 scoreless yards, as Belichick lived up to his cliché of shutting down his opponent's best weapon. Mac Jones somehow managed just 112 scoreless yards (3.6 YPA) indoors against a Raiders defense that entered allowing easily the highest Passer Rating. Zay Jones erupted for three scores and hauled in the longest TD pass of Lawrence's career, finishing as the top-scoring fantasy wideout in Week 15. He also led the team with a season-high eight targets while getting his best YPC (4.8) since Week 5.
wftv.comHow it started: A whiffed tackle from Raiders' Chandler Jones. How it ended: a miraculous TD return after all-time Patriots error
Chandler Jones missed a tackle and it cost the New England Patriots the game. It’s important, because it explains how Chandler Jones ended up in that wide abyss of field where Meyers inexplicably heaved the ball. Standing in between was Chandler Jones, in nearly the exact spot of his missed tackle. “We were in like a desperado situation,” Chandler Jones told reporters afterward. As Chandler Jones said, the rest is history.
wftv.comPatriots rally for 27-13 win over Cardinals, Murray hurt
Mac Jones threw for 235 yards, Raekwon McMillan had a crucial fumble return for a touchdown and the New England Patriots earned a 27-13 win on Monday night over the Arizona Cardinals, who lost starting quarterback Kyler Murray in the first quarter to a potentially serious knee injury.
It's never pretty for Patriots, but a win over Cardinals helps their playoff hopes
The Patriots are 7-6 after a 27-13 win over the Arizona Cardinals and if the season ended today, they'd be in the playoffs as the AFC's seventh seed. That might surprise some people whose only entry into the Patriots' season has been the complaints about Matt Patricia calling plays or a short-lived Bailey Zappe-Jones quarterback controversy. While the Cardinals didn't want to lose their $230.5 million quarterback, it was a challenge for the Patriots. The Cardinals went for it on fourth-and-1 when they could have tried a 50-yard field goal, but McCoy's pass to a wide open Trey McBride wasn't high enough and it was knocked away by linebacker Jahlani Tavai. The Patriots are good on defense, limited offensively, well coached by Belichick and at the moment a playoff team.
wftv.comQuestions linger as Patriots' offense falls short again
What does seem apparent is his vocal outburst had an undertone: He wants the training wheels to be removed from the offense. So that’s really the process.”WHAT’S WORKINGThe Patriots' offensive issues meant they were punting a lot on Thursday. Trailing 17-7, the Patriots took over with 1:20 left and drove to the Buffalo 35 with 50 seconds remaining. His surprise usage on offense and subsequent 48-yard touchdown reception was the Patriots’ biggest highlight. It drops the Patriots to a conversion rate of 36.2% for the season, which ranks 27th in the NFL.
wftv.comPatriots WR Kendrick Bourne unhappy with third-down offense: 'We need to scheme up better'
New England Patriots players aren't happy with their team's recent offensive performances following a second consecutive loss. First, quarterback Mac Jones profanely called out the offensive playcalling in the Patriots' 24-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Thursday night. Then, veteran wide receiver Kendrick Bourne flat-out said the Patriots need to come up with better plays on third down:"We need to scheme up better," Bourne said. Consider this: The Patriots' offense under McDaniels ranked sixth in points, 15th in yards and 10th in third-down conversion percentage in 2021. Patricia's offense, meanwhile, ranks sixth in points, 15th in yards and the aforementioned 27th in third-down conversion.
wftv.comZach Wilson's disastrous effort provides reprieve for Patriots' own QB chaos
Thankfully for the New England Patriots, Zach Wilson and the New York Jets were considerably worse. Fresh off igniting a full-blown quarterback controversy, Bill Belichick's Patriots eked out a 22-17 upset of the New York Jets as Jones played quarterback without a peep from backup Bailey Zappe. The second-year Jets quarterback threw three interceptions on Sunday, including two unforced errors in the second half that subdued any hope of a New York comeback. He didn't find an open receiver and opted to throw the ball away as he faced pressure from the Patriots pass rush. His yardage total was inflated by a come-from-behind effort that saw the Jets abandon the run game in the second half.
wftv.comPats' QB Jones believes he deserves to be starter vs. Jets
— (AP) — Mac Jones believes he deserves to start the Patriots' matchup with the Jets on Sunday. Jones played with a brace on his left leg in Monday's loss to Chicago, but he wasn't wearing it on Wednesday. Just trying to get my treatment and I've done a good job with that," Jones said of his ankle. And for me right now that's to become a better quarterback individually and a better player. He said Wednesday that he stands by that despite Jones’ slow start to the season.
wftv.comColts finally give up on Andrew Luck ghost, while Packers need prayers and Patriots need to start Mac Jones
Colts finally turning the page from the Andrew Luck sagaThe Colts finally did it. After years of chasing the ghost of Andrew Luck, they seem ready to accept their fate as a team that’s stuck in the mud and in serious need of a retooling. The NFC South is a dumpster fireLet me say this as a fan of the Atlanta Falcons: No more NFC South games should be televised this season. In a year where there seems to be a lot of bad football, the NFC South was the embodiment of it last weekend. The fall of the Buccaneers has resulted in the NFC South quickly turning into a feeble division feared by none and mocked by many.
wftv.comReports: Mac Jones expected to start at quarterback for Patriots on Sunday
Mac Jones is practicing with New England Patriots starters and expected to start on Sunday against the New York Jets, ESPN's Field Yates and NFL Network's Mike Garofolo report. The news arrives after head coach Bill Belichick benched Jones during Monday's loss to the Chicago Bears in favor of rookie Bailey Zappe. Jones, New England's first-round pick in 2021, had missed the previous three games with an ankle injury. Zappe played well in his absence, and Belichick benched Jones after he threw an interception against the Bears. He declined to name a starter moving forward after the 33-14 loss to the Bears.
wftv.comFields, Bears score 23 straight points, beat Pats 33-14
In a matchup of quarterbacks from the 2020 College Football Playoff National Championship game, Fields outperformed Jones, who led Alabama to victory over Fields’ Ohio State. Zappe!” the fourth-round draft pick from Western Kentucky led the Patriots to back-to-back touchdowns and a 14-10 lead. In the second half it was all Chicago, which ran off 23 unanswered points. Rhamondre Stevenson caught eight passes for 59 yards and ran 11 times for 39 for the Patriots (3-4). Fields ran 14 times for 82 yards, including five third-down scrambles for first downs.
wftv.comNewton believes COVID testing mishap contributed to release
Former Patriots quarterback Cam Newton says he was caught by surprise by his release by New England and believes his weeklong absence near the end of training camp due to a mishap related to COVID-19 testing protocols contributed to coach Bill Belichick’s decision.