It has been a rough start to the season for the New England Patriots. The Patriots are a franchise that has become synonymous with winning over the last two decades, thanks to being led by two future first-ballot Hall of Famers such as head coach Bill Belichick and former quarterback Tom Brady. However, since Brady’s departure in 2020, it has been tough sledding for the Patriots.
The Patriots selected quarterback Mac Jones with the No. 15 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft to be the successor to Brady as the team’s franchise quarterback. Jones enjoyed success in his rookie season, leading the team to a 10-7 record en route to the postseason and a Pro Bowl appearance. Since then, Jones has a combined 7-12 record in 2022 and 2023.
Jones and the Patriots offense have looked out of sorts and borderline dysfunctional through the first five games of the season, despite hiring offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien in an attempt to restore Jones’ confidence after a down 2022 season. Unfortunately, that has been far from the case as the Patriots have scored a combined 18 points in their last three games.
NFL Network media personality James Palmer took time to speak on Jones and the Patriots offense on The NFL Report, highlighting Jones’ inability to keep his head up and scan the field during plays. “The reason why his eyes are down and he’s staring at the rush is because he doesn’t believe in the players that are out there around him.”
While the addition of O’Brien to the coaching staff was viewed as a welcomed one, the team didn’t do much to surround Jones with playmakers on the offensive side of the ball. There is a case to be made that the Patriots have the worst offensive skill position group in the NFL, and their recent play on the field alludes to that.
