NFL
By: Steve Atkinson
The Patriots play the Buffalo Bills in Buffalo on Saturday night for the AFC Wild-Card playoff matchup. The last time the Patriots played in Buffalo was on December 6th in a blustery cold game. The Patriots didn’t even throw the ball and squeaked out a 14-10 win. They played them again on December 26th and lost 33-21 in Foxborough. Mac Jones did end up throwing the ball more, but Josh Allen was better that day for the Bills. On Saturday it will be another cold night with temperatures supposed to be in the single digits. Will the question that everyone has on their mind can Mac Jones throw the ball in cold weather be answered on Saturday night?
In the month of December Jones had a 52.50 completion percentage with two touchdowns and four interceptions. He also passed for 463 yards. Did something happen during the bye week to make his numbers slip a bit from the middle of the season? In games 5-8 of the season, he had a 65.77 completion percentage with five touchdowns and two interceptions. In games 9-12 he was 4-0 with a 76.77 completion percentage with seven touchdowns and two interceptions. At that moment people were comparing Mac Jones to Tom Brady and the 2001 Patriots.
Mac Jones Can Finally Answer The Question If He Can Throw in Cold Weather
Then the Buffalo game happened when they didn’t pass the ball and went on their bye week. They came out flat the rest of the season with their only win coming from the three-win team Jacksonville Jaguars. In games 13-17 Jones was 2-3 with a 60.00 completion percentage with six touchdowns and five interceptions. There could be a lot to say why his numbers have slipped as of late. Injures, having to play 19 games in the regular season plus preseason games. Having to win the starting job from Cam Newton. He really hasn’t had a season like this ever which is why Jones proving a point on the field is huge Saturday night.
Mac Jones Has Everything Going For Him
He really should ignore the noise which is what I think he’s done for the most part. He really has had a good rookie season in part because he has good coaching from Belichick and Josh McDaniel’s. I think if you put Jones say with the Jaguars, he doesn’t have the same success because he wouldn’t have coaching. Jones having Belichick is huge for his development. I don’t think he’s hit a rookie wall, I don’t think he’s hit a ceiling, he has talent around him that can make plays while throwing the football. They need to go back to the middle of the season play calling when Jones was playing at his best. Feed Kendrick Bourne, Hunter Henry, Jakobi Meyers. I would even bench Harry on Saturday and bring back Kristian Wilkerson from the practice squad. He seems to get the passing offense better than Harry does and can actually make plays with the football after he catches it.
Mac Jones Has Had A Good Season
Regardless of the outcome on Saturday Jones has had a successful rookie season. But I want him to air it out and be the reason they win this weekend not just by the running game and playing good defense. It’s his time to take this moment and not let it get the best of him. He played in a National Championship game a year ago. I know the NFL is different, but I feel like he had the confidence in the middle of the season. It slipped during the Colts game when the Patriots were down then the Bills and Dolphins games. He really can’t let that happen and will learn that as he keeps playing. If the Patriots are down, on Saturday he shouldn’t hang his head, Jones should step in the pocket and lead the team to a comeback. But hopefully, it doesn’t get to that point.
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