Let's just dive into it — based on the coaches film, how did Mac Jones actually play, did he show any progress, was there anything that says he needs to lose his job?
Let's break down each play, then provide analysis of the coach's film to show our work:
FIRST SERIES (3 DROPBACKS, 1 MINUS THROW, 1 HURRY)
1-10-NE 17 (14:57) (Shotgun) R.Stevenson left guard to NE 17 for no gain (A.Watts).
Mac Jones misses three games and the first play in his return, Matt Patricia goes with shotgun and 11 personnel. Jones alerts the play and changes it to a run. Marcus Cannon and Mike Onwenu can't get together on the double team, and it's a stuffed run.
2-10-NE 17 (14:23) M.Jones pass incomplete short left to T.Thornton.
Penalty on CHI-R.Quinn, Defensive Offside, offsetting, enforced at NE 17 - No Play.
Penalty on NE-T.Brown, Offensive Holding, offsetting.
Under center. Play is negated, but Patricia calls playaction and the play is there with good protection to Tyquan Thornton but the throw sails on Jones. Typical early nerves/adrenaline. Play doesn't count, but it does in our grading.
MINUS throw.
2-10-NE 17 (14:17) (Shotgun) M.Jones pass short left to R.Stevenson to NE 16 for -1 yards (R.Quinn).
Called screen pass. Onwenu can't get out on LB Roquan Smith, who makes the play by turning Stevenson inside.
3-11-NE 16 (13:39) (Shotgun) M.Jones scrambles up the middle to NE 22 for 6 yards (R.Smith; J.Brisker)
Third and long now, Bears are showing quarters coverage before the snap. They rotate into Cover 3 after the snap and no one is readily open. Cole Strange allows pressure which gets Jones climbing the pocket. Hunter Henry and Stevenson are late developing outlets, Jones decided to live another down. No issue with the decision.
SECOND SERIES (2 DROPBACKS, KNOCKDOWN)
1-10-NE 21 (8:57) (Shotgun) D.Harris up the middle to NE 24 for 3 yards (N.Morrow).
Again in shotgun to start a drive, Jones runs the play and the inside draw is there, but Andrews is late getting out on the LB and gets caught in the trash.
2-7-NE 24 (8:31) (No Huddle, Shotgun) M.Jones sacked at NE 19 for -5 yards (D.Robinson).
Penalty on NE-T.Brown, Offensive Holding, offsetting, enforced at NE 24 - No Play.
Penalty on CHI-J.Brisker, Defensive Holding, offsetting.
Jones alerts the play as the Bears are showing Cover 1 man. Small RPO playaction, but Onwenu is overwhelmed at the point and DE Dominique Robinson doesn't allow Jones outside the pocket and gets the knockdown (play doesn't count, but that does) that is shared between Ownenu and Trent Brown.
2-7-NE 24 (8:11) (Shotgun) M.Jones pass short right to D.Harris to NE 26 for 2 yards (R.Smith).
Bears show Cover 2 before the snap but rotate into Cover 1 man. RPO playfake from shotgun again, and no one is readily open. Jones runs out of time, climbs pocket and dumps it off to Harris for minimal gain but it's 3rd and 5 ...
3-5-NE 26 (7:40) (Shotgun) PENALTY on NE-T.Brown, False Start, 5 yards, enforced at NE 26 - No Play.
... until Browns goes offsides. Looks like the Patriots were going to have Henry on a corner route but play is blown dead and now it's 3rd and long. Again.
3-10-NE 21 (7:14) (Shotgun) R.Stevenson left tackle to NE 26 for 5 yards (J.Brisker).
This is a called run on third down from Patricia and the Patriots might have had something but Cannon hesitated coming off the line and doesn't get to his second level block. That player makes the tackle. Jones didn't call the play to run on third down, but that's how his second series ends.
THIRD SERIES (6 DROPBACKS, PLUS SCRAMBLE, THROW; MINUS DECISION, DOUBLE MINUS INT; KNOCKDOWN, 2 HURRIES)
1-10-NE 23 (2:05) (Shotgun) M.Jones pass incomplete deep left to T.Thornton [R.Quinn].
Bears switch safeties after the snap, but Jones makes the right read and despite Robert Quinn beating Brown and bearing down on Jones, he makes a good, solid throw deep to Thornton, who appears to be held but no call. Jones is absolutely blasted by Quinn as he releases it.
Dak Prescott missed a very similar throw high on his first pass attempt coming back on Sunday for Dallas.
2-10-NE 23 (1:59) R.Stevenson right tackle to NE 28 for 5 yards (R.Smith).
Under center for a called outside zone run that actually gains yards.
3-5-NE 28 (1:27) (Shotgun) M.Jones scrambles right tackle to NE 38 for 10 yards (J.Brisker).
Shotgun again and this time it's an empty backfield as Stevenson motions out. Bears show Quarters before the snap. It's Quarters with man underneath after the snap. No one is readily open, and Jones wisely takes the 10 yards to pick up the Patriots' initial first down.
PLUS scramble for Jones.
1-10-NE 38 (:51) R.Stevenson right guard to NE 42 for 4 yards (R.Smith).
Under center with two tight ends ... now we're talking. Play-fake shot? No, they pull Strange and Henry for solid gain.
2-6-NE 42 (:15) (Shotgun) M.Jones pass short middle to H.Henry to CHI 46 for 12 yards (J.Brisker).
Back in shotgun, so no building off that run action. Bears show Cover 2 before the snap, and that's what it is after. Jones reads it correctly, throws with anticipation and velocity to Henry for 12 yards into a smallish zone window.
Close, but we're giving Jones a PLUS throw.
1-10-CHI 46 (15:00) R.Stevenson right tackle to CHI 45 for 1 yard (R.Smith).
Under center again with two tight ends, will they dial up some play-action now? Nope. Outside zone run with a run stuff by Andrews for peeling back with LB in front of him.
2-9-CHI 45 (14:20) (Shotgun) M.Jones scrambles right end to CHI 37 for 8 yards (J.Brisker). CHI-J.Brisker was injured during the play.
Shotgun, corner goes with Meyers in motion so it's man coverage. Cannon allows pressure at the snap. Jones could have hit Meyers on a crosser, but there's some traffic. He tucks it and picks up 8 yards close to the first down. Not a plus decision, but a solid one.
3-1-CHI 37 (13:49) R.Stevenson up the middle to CHI 36 for 1 yard (M.Pennel).
Patriots pick up the first down despite Strange getting beat. New set of downs.
1-10-CHI 36 (13:22) M.Jones pass incomplete short middle to D.Harris.
Under center with two tight ends ... play-action? Meyers in motion but it appears to be zone, likely Tampa 2. It's play-action! But the Patriots don't dress it up with any run action (puller or anything) and linebackers don't bite on the playfake. Jones wants Henry down the middle of the field but sees the MLB doing well to carry him down the field while reading Jones' eyes. Jones does not read the safety favoring Henry and misses Meyers open down the right sideline. He checks it down to Harris, who drops the ball and a chance at 2nd and 4. Not a bad decision, but Jones missed a play here and he knows it.
MINUS decision.
2-10-CHI 36 (13:16) (Shotgun) M.Jones pass short right intended for J.Smith INTERCEPTED by J.Brisker at CHI 21. J.Brisker to CHI 27 for 6 yards (R.Stevenson).
Shotgun again. Bears show Quarters or Cover 2 before the snap, but they rotate into 3-deep, 4-under after. Cannon gives up a hurry but Jones got fooled, possibly thinking the Bears were still in Cover 2 and didn't think there would be a deep safety in that third. Still, no excuse. Can't throw that kind of weak ball against any coverage.
MINUS interception.
TOTAL
Dropbacks: 8
Plus plays: 2 (scramble, throw)
Minus plays: 3 (throw, decision, INT)
Under pressure: 4 total QB pressures (1 knockdown, 3 hurries) — 50 percent pressure
VIDEO ANALYSIS OF EACH PLAY
(The video was still processing at time of publishing. It will be up soon, if it's not already.)
PARTING THOUGHTS
Was it great? No. Was it bad? Aside from the interception, no. Thought for the most part he handled himself well and was in the process of knocking the rust off when he was pulled, which I think was the wrong decision.
The first drive ended, thanks to a bad screen, when no one was open on 3rd and 11.
The second drive ended on Patricia's called draw.
The third one ... obviously the interception was terrible, but Jones seemed to be moving well and he was rounding into form.
If Bill Belichick wanted to get Jones some time but also play Bailey Zappe, Belichick should have given Jones until halftime and then reassessed. Jones and the offense was starting to make progress before the interception.
I also think Patricia could have done a lot better easing Jones back into the saddle. Most offensive coordinators dial up some nice protection, some nice and easy high-percentage throws just so the QB can get their sea legs back. Way too much shotgun for my liking, and not enough high-percentage stuff on the first drive.
Jones did not look out of his element. He did not look overwhelmed. The foot did not appear to be a hinderance. Jones looked like a QB working his way into game shape when Belichick pulled the plug on it. That was a mistake, and there's nothing on film that says Jones should lose his job.