After viewing the coaches' film from Sunday's 34-0 loss to the Saints, the Patriots would absolutely be justified in sitting quarterback Mac Jones, at least temporarily.
His decision-making, mechanics and general patience with the offense is so compromised right now that he could use a breather just to reset himself, at least for a week or so. There is also the very big issue of how his teammates view Jones — which seems real on film. Hunter Henry, especially, could be seen visibly frustrated with his fellow captain's pick-six and fumble. David Andrews, another captain, Kendrick Bourne and Rhamondre Stevenson also seem to be very frustrated. There might not be a ton of confidence in Jones right now, and Bill Belichick will have to address that head-on to see if that's a fixable issue. There's also the defense, which could be having an issue with the spots Jones has repeatedly put them in. You absolutely have to worry about the team splintering and it will take real, effective leadership to navigate those mines.
Those are real issues that need to be dealt with. But the truth of the matter is Jones is an issue, but he's far from the only issue. So how do you rectify that?
Sitting Jones, at least temporarily, wouldn't come close to alleviating the myriad of issues with this unit. It's not like Jones is leaving a ton of plays on the field, and someone else that hasn't been sped up by the absurd pressure rate the first five weeks — 39.8 percent after another 41.4 percent against the Saints — would make things better because they're coming from a better mindset (if you're wondering why it's been so bad the previous two weeks compared to the first three games, the pressure rates have gone 33.3, 36, 35.5, 52.9 and 41.4 — QB pressure is real). Plus, Bailey Zappe has been worse than Jones in his playing time. Is Will Grier ready to tackle even a limited playbook, which the Patriots will have after Belichick said, "We need to start over"? Has Malik Cunningham, who the team determined on several occasions this summer that he was a receiver, demonstrated in practice that he could operate the offense in a pinch, Jacoby Brissett-style? All options should be on the table this week.
Jones has not been good the past two games, the worst-rated games I have for Jones in his career. If Belichick wanted to make a quarterback change, I would not protest. I have a lengthy video below laying out my issues with Jones, and the offense in general.
I just think there are bigger issues with this offense that need to be dealt with. Those issues, with some solutions:
The offensive line
I don't care who your quarterback is, you are not doing anything in this league if the offensive line can't hold up. The worst teams by pass block win rate at ESPN entering this week were the Patriots, Bengals and Falcons. All three quarterbacks have struggled — even the great Joe Burrow.
Patriots line coach Adrian Klemm absolutely needs to be looked at. He didn't last a season in the same role with the Steelers (he departed with two games left, which the Steelers won to make the playoffs in 2021). I can't tell you he's doing a bad job because there have been so many injuries (Cole Strange, Mike Onwenu) and new faces (Riley Reiff, Calvin Anderson, Vederian Lowe, Tyrone Wheatley, Jake Andrews, Atonio Mafi, Sidy Sow) that I have no frame of reference for most of those players, and Strange and Onwenu are obviously physically compromised. So Klemm has not been dealt a good hand by Belichick. But the fact that none of the new players, especially the rookies, have popped is cause for concern with the coaching.
If Belichick thinks it's not working with Klemm — only he would know through an investigation with Bill O'Brien — then a firing should be on the table, if they have someone else in mind. I would, at the very least, be begging Dante Scarnecchia to come in for a week or two as a consultant (don't make the annual request for him to come out of retirement, it's not happening).
As far as the players go, David Andrews has been the best and Trent Brown isn't far behind. I have no issues with Brown's effort, even in this game. He's been good overall, even if his inconsistencies are maddening at times. That's who he has always been, and what you invite with him on your team.
Reiff showed some promise at left guard in this game after Mafi was benched in the middle of the third series, which was justified. Hopefully Onwenu's ankle injury isn't serious because they don't have any other options if Strange and Onwenu are compromised. Mafi, Sow and Jake Andrews don't seem to be ready.
At right tackle, the Patriots have no good options. Lowe has been below average, but Sow is worse and Calvin Anderson (the other tackle signed in the offseason with Reiff to provide options) was a healthy scratch behind Sow and Wheatley this past week.
Figuring out the coaching and personnel on the offensive line should be the first priority.
Find a slot and third-down back ASAP
It's clear that Jones has zero trust in Juju Smith-Schuster as the Jakobi Meyers replacement — and he shouldn't. Smith-Schuster, in his current health state (whatever that is), is terrible. There were at least two occasions in this game where Smith-Schuster, if he ran his slot route anywhere close to Meyers (let alone Wes Welker and Julian Edelman), there would have been good separation and an easy throw for Jones. That does not happen because he has no burst, no precision and no urgency in his routes. If the Patriots didn't hand him $16 million guaranteed, he would be cut tomorrow. He is useless on the field. He brings nothing to it.
Demario Douglas had a chance, before his injury, to show what he could do on the Patriots' return route, and it was as bad as Smith-Schuster. Ty Montgomery clearly has zero clue how to run routes in this offense as well.
While we're at with coaches — and we asked this last year as well — are we sure Troy Brown is good at his job? Something else that should be looked at if Belichick wanted to preach accountability to his players. Maybe a staff shakeup is the way to go to wake this team up.
And enough of this crap with Stevenson and Ezekiel Elliott as the third-down back. They are so slow getting into routes, if they even know where they are supposed to go. Go find someone with some juice, damn pass protection. Get someone who is a threat to attract attention and cause the defense issues.
The Patriots should be scouring teams for a real slot and third-down back. I don't like Hunter Renfrow with the Raiders - for whatever reason he no longer has the burst he had when he entered the league - but he would clearly offer more than Smith-Schuster does right now.
Kendrick Bourne still isn't trusted with his routes, and extending DeVante Parker was a mistake, but you can't change everything during the season.
Pharoah Brown isn't a good blocking tight end, but he'll also have to do for now.
Go back to basics with the offense
The Patriots should get back to being a run-first (and second and third) team no matter the score. Belichick, in the past, has mandated the team to not throw the ball until they pick up at first down on the ground. They need to back to that. You have to crawl before you can walk or run.
It's time to go back to the 2001 Patriots playbook. Take the current playbook and toss it in the trash. Cut down the personnel groupings. Pick one or two and go with those. Figure out which runs the team has blocked well, and rep them more. Pass concepts will be stripped down and those used in the game will only be those that have been repped excessively with the least amount of mental errors in practice.
The Patriots should be employing a very simple approach on offense until the players show they can execute the basic concepts.
Belichick wants to start over — and defense and, especially, special teams have their issues as well — so this is one man's plan to reset what has become an awful mess five weeks into this season.
Here are the positional ratings against the Jets:
OFFENSE
Quarterback (0 out of 5)
I could excuse Jones' performance against the Cowboys as a pressure-induced one-off as he was clearly sped up and out of sorts. This was more disturbing to me because pressure wasn't a huge factor in this game, he had chances to deliver good balls, but his footwork was again sloppy. Jones' lack of trust in Smith-Schuster is a huge factor in some would-be conversions, but Jones has to work with who he has. A lot of my issues were laid out in the video (which now features fullscreen, we have figured that out), but here are the bigger ones:
First quarter
2-2-NE 14 (9:41) M.Jones pass incomplete deep right to K.Bourne: Should have gone quickly to Smith-Schuster even if it was a crap route and Tyrann Mathieu was looking to jump it thanks to that crap route.
2-6-NE 24 (7:16) M.Jones pass incomplete short middle to R.Stevenson: No pressure. Should have stayed calm in the pocket and delivered a better checkdown than his late, panic throw.
3-6-NE 24 (7:11) (Shotgun) M.Jones pass short middle intended for R.Stevenson INTERCEPTED by T.Mathieu [C.Granderson] at NE 27.T.Mathieu for 27 yards, TOUCHDOWN: Yes, it was blocked poorly, but Jones had a chance to hit Hunter Henry for the first down quickly. More panic.
Second quarter
3-6-NE 21 (13:35) (Shotgun) M.Jones pass incomplete deep right to D.Parker (P.Adebo): This looked like it was supposed to be an RPO but Jones didn't do it and with no pressure, should have delivered a ball over the middle to Bourne.
2-2-NE 33 (10:18) (Shotgun) E.Elliott right tackle to NE 35 for 2 yards (M.Lattimore, K.Saunders): An even worse route by Smith-Schuster, but Jones should have just put it on him with heat.
3-8-NE 39 (6:58) (Shotgun) M.Jones pass incomplete deep right to D.Parker (P.Adebo): Underthrown by Jones because of poor mechanics. He needs to step into this throw and lead Parker.
Third quarter
1-10-NE 25 (15:00) M.Jones pass short left to J.Smith-Schuster to NE 26 for 1 yard (A.Taylor): Late throw to the flat.
3-1-NE 34 (14:04) M.Jones FUMBLES (Aborted) at NE 29, RECOVERED by NO-C.Jordan at NE 29: Awful pitch.
1-10-NE 25 (11:34) M.Jones pass deep left to K.Bourne to NO 47 for 28 yards (P.Adebo): Big play, but too soft a throw. Fire it.
3-3-NO 40 (9:59) (Shotgun) M.Jones pass incomplete short middle to J.Smith-Schuster (M.Roach): This pass was deflected and it was a good play by the defense, but Jones could have thrown it earlier.
1-10-NE 10 (1:13) M.Jones pass deep right intended for T.Montgomery INTERCEPTED by P.Werner (J.Howden) at NE 31. P.Werner to NE 31 for no gain(T.Montgomery): I put half this interception on Jones because, again because of poor footwork, he delivered way too soft a ball that allowed the safety to come in and jar the ball loose. Throw the ball!
So, like I said, there's plenty here if the Patriots want to pull the plug on Jones, at least temporarily. The problem is Zappe was decidedly worse in this game and hasn't been good. He hasn't earned anything. So what now?
Running backs (2 out of 5)
Some decent runs out of them and Elliott had a nice blitz pickup, but he also butchered one right in front of him and had his own stuffed run.
Receivers (0 out of 5)
This group is just awful. Gesicki and Parker are total non-factors. Smith-Schuster and Douglas run poor routes. Bourne had two penalties to keep him on the bench. What are we doing here with this group?
Offensive line (1 out of 5)
We've been over the issues with this group. Mafi had huge issues with simple twists and stunts. If he continues to play, other teams are going to go after him. Belichick said he's very smart. Time to learn and clean this stuff up. ... Kind of intrigued by Reiff at guard. Not bad. ... Fix this unit ASAP.
TWO UP
David Andrews: Two straight games he's been beaten right up the middle but that's really it.
Riley Reiff: Had a nice run block and drew a penalty. Far from perfect with half sack, stuff and hurry
SEVEN DOWN
Bailey Zappe: Had a golden opportunity, again, in a blowout to make his case and he again failed. He's really not good.
Ty Montgomery: He played 15 snaps and had five minus plays, including a half stuff on his carry, half an interception, two bad routes and a penalty. Now we know why he never plays.
Mac Jones: Think we've covered this.
Juju Smith-Schuster: He's bringing nothing to this team.
Atonio Mafi: Got benched in the middle of the third series and only returned due to the injury to Onwenu. It's too fast for him right now but he has some traits.
Mike Onwenu: He's clearly compromised and struggling.
Vederian Lowe: For the second-straight week, some of the worst fundamentals I've seen by a Patriots lineman.