Mac Jones has struggled mightily in his important third year with the Patriots. The quarterback is just two years removed from his strong rookie season, but he hasn’t had that level of success since.
Might that make a difference if Jones had a veteran quarterback next to him?
On the latest episode of Focus on Foxborough, former Patriots quarterback Jim Miller joins MassLive’s Karen Guregjian to discuss New England’s quarterback space and how their youth affects Lack of success under Bill Belichick.
“I think Bill Belichick has never had a quarterback room as young as he does now. I think he’s always had a veteran in backup mode — even with Drew Bledsoe in there and Brady taking over ( And) Bledsoe was the backup,” Miller said. “Then you get Scott Zolak and you go through this list. It’s just experienced guys there all the time. All these guys are as green as grass. Malik Cunningham Cunningham, very talented player, but he’s a very raw player. Will Grier didn’t play much. Bailey Zappe is still a very young player. He didn’t even play like Mac Jones So much. So it’s a very young group that they’re trying to develop and I think you’re going to go through a lot of growing pains because these guys haven’t been through a lot yet. Mike has the most experience because he’s been there most of the time Starting out. “He’s still a very young player in terms of his career. “
Miller pointed to New England’s Week 10 loss to the Indianapolis Colts in Germany, when Jones came in for Zappe on the final drive of the game and Zappe ended up throwing an interception. Things might have been different if there was an experienced player on the bench.
“You’re dealing with mistakes that young players make. I’m not saying an interception wasn’t the greatest play,” Miller said. “You fake a snap and then throw it down the middle of the field, which is a throw for any quarterback, if that’s what it’s called. But Bailey still makes the same mistake because he didn’t make it at this point.”
Belichick still hasn’t named a starter for Week 12 against the New York Giants, but expects everyone to be ready. At some point soon, the Patriots will have to decide which direction Jones takes. Maybe bringing in a veteran would be beneficial to him, or maybe a change of scenery would be better. These questions still need answers, and likely won’t be answered until the end of the 2023 season.
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