The New England Patriots were eliminated from playoff contention Sunday after a tumultuous season, which included significant criticism toward the team’s offense. Quarterback Mac Jones admitted that the criticism was not necessarily unjustified.
Jones spoke after the Patriots’ 35-23 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday and readily accepted criticism of himself and the offense. Jones said he had learned “more than I ever could have imagined” from the team’s issues in 2022 and said the blame for any issues is “on me.”
Mac Jones on the Patriots' offense this year: "The blame's on me. It's my offense, it's my group of guys. It's an uphill battle. Learned a lot. I learned more than I ever could have imagined in a football season. Just want to be able to build on it."
— Alex Barth (@RealAlexBarth) January 8, 2023
While there are lingering questions about Jones’ long-term fit, it is hard to pin everything on him. Matt Patricia, formerly the Patriots’ defensive coordinator, was put in charge of the offense this season and has attracted widespread criticism for his performance as de facto offensive coordinator. That is one big reason why changes to that side of the staff appear quite likely this offseason.
Jones finished the season with 2,997 passing yards, 14 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. His numbers largely regressed from where they were after a solid rookie season, but if the Patriots pin more blame on the staff than the quarterback, he will likely get another season to try and show what he can do.
