Bill Belichick answers whether Mac Jones will start in Week 6

Nov 18, 2021; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones (10) during a timeout against the Atlanta Falcons in the second half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

The New England Patriots were blown out on Sunday for the second consecutive week, but Bill Belichick does not think a quarterback change is the answer to his team’s problems.

Mac Jones was benched during the fourth quarter of New England’s 34-0 home loss to the New Orleans Saints. The former first-round pick finished 12/22 for 110 yards and 2 interceptions, one of which was a pick-six early in the game. Bailey Zappe replaced Jones in the fourth quarter, which was slightly later in the game than when Zappe took over in last week’s 38-3 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

Naturally, Belichick was once again asked if Jones will remain New England’s starter. The 71-year-old coach said Jones’ job is secure.

Is Mac Jones still your quarterback?

Bill Belichick: "Yeah, there was a lot of problems. It certainly wasn't all on him." pic.twitter.com/1yb0A7n88x

— Henry McKenna (@henrycmckenna) October 8, 2023

“Yeah, there was a lot of problems. It certainly wasn’t all on him,” Belichick said.

Jones has thrown four interceptions over the last two weeks. A stat that went viral on Sunday illustrated the way he has struggled in his Patriots career after a promising rookie season three years ago.

While New England’s offensive line has been terrible and they have below-average skill players, Jones has not shown that he is able to overcome adversity. His confidence looks completely shot.

The Patriots made a noteworthy change in practice leading up to Sunday’s game, but the reality is Zappe is probably not all that much better than Jones. As Belichick said, the Patriots’ problems run deep. Zappe is not capable of solving the majority of them, if any.