Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft left the Hall of Fame Game in 2000, believing the Patriots took the right quarterback in the NFL Draft.
Twenty-one years later, it appears like the head coach and owner have done it again.
New England took a chance on Tom Brady in the sixth round, and he provided six Super Bowl championships. Mac Jones endured criticism throughout the draft process, but the Patriots chose him at No. 15 overall in April.
Much attention has been placed on Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson, Trey Lance, and Justin Fields, but the people of Boston (Mass.) were pleased with the performance of its rookie quarterback on Thursday.
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Jones did not light up the scoreboard, but the coaches, players, and fans saw his confidence when he entered the game. Patriots’ offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels went to no-huddle, tempo, and quick plays with Jones.
He converted third downs, delivered passes on time, looked comfortable in a complex offense, and should have had a touchdown pass. His 9-yard ball to Kristian Wilkerson was dropped in the corner of the end zone. Jones placed the ball in the perfect spot, but Wilkerson could not hold on to it. The 2020 College Football Playoff National Champion engineered two scoring drives that ended with field goals. He completed 13 of 19 passes for 87 yards, but Jones’ command of the offense is what’s more impressive.
Improvement will come as he continues to work on timing. People wanted to see if Jones is the long-term solution after Brady, and Thursday’s performance was quality. He helped New England to a 22-13 victory, and his second preseason outing is next week versus the Philadelphia Eagles.
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Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
