New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones is coming off consecutive underwhelming performances, and there is some concern about the rookie from at least one of the team’s legends.
Longtime Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman admitted that he is concerned Jones may have hit the “rookie wall,” causing a downturn in performance and production.
“I’ve got to give Mac a B+,” Edelman said of Jones on “Inside the NFL,” via Tyler Sullivan of CBS Sports. “These last two weeks, he could have been an A- if he continued that same play. We’ve seen him be a very efficient quarterback. You see him get through his progressions. You can see him drive a team down the field. But these last two weeks, you can tell that the rookie wall may have hit. The rookie wall is real. He’s had two games with two picks back-to-back. It will be interesting to see how he goes forward and to see really what he’s made of.”
The Patriots have lost back-to-back games under Jones, with the rookie throwing two interceptions against Indianapolis and following it by going just 14-of-32 against Buffalo. While those are not necessarily Jones’ worst performances of the season, they do coincide with some of the Patriots’ worst play all year.
Edelman may be right to a certain degree. Jones’ play was at such a high level early in the season, and some dropoff may have been inevitable. It simply comes at a bad time for the Patriots, who have now lost control of their fate in the AFC East.
Photo: 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
