NFL
By: Steve Atkinson
Despite the Patriots loss to Minnesota on Thursday night Mac Jones had the best game of the season. He passed for 382 yards and two touchdowns. He also had zero interceptions. That’s what happens with better protection which he hasn’t gotten any from his offensive line all season until the other night. They gave him more time to throw, and receivers got open for him. It was nice to get the score quick on the first drive to Nelson Agholor to set the tone. The offensive line played a lot better than it had all season.
All Minnesota really has is Justin Jefferson. He is ridiculous it doesn’t matter how many defenders are around him he will always find ways to catch the ball. That was the case on Thursday. Kirk Cousins doesn’t even have to try because he knows Jefferson will catch the ball and get Minnesota in the redzone. Special teams had a rough day too with a roughing the kicker call in the fourth quarter. The Hunter Henry overturned touchdown was a horrendous call. If that was Travis Kelce or Rob Gronkowski that is a touchdown all day. But Hunter Henry is not Kelce or Gronk so it’s an incomplete pass. Might as well say the Julian Edelman catch in the Super Bowl against Atlanta was incomplete too. If that was any other team it probably would’ve been incomplete. But it was Tom Brady and Edelman, so they ruled it a catch.
Once the ball crosses the goal line it’s a touchdown period. That was the wrong call and the Patriots had to kick a field goal. It’s not a main reason they lost though. Costly mistakes on defense, special teams, and clock management on offense were the reasons too. Now, the Patriots are out of the playoffs depending on the games on Sunday. They could be back in the playoffs by Monday morning depending on how the Jets do against the Bears.
Here is what Mac Jones said after the game
” Yeah, I don’t ever try and single in on anybody. Just wherever the play takes me, that’s where I’m throwing it. I think that’s what’s cool about this offense is you don’t know when it’s going to come to you, but it can come to you on any play. Kind of cool there. Obviously need to score more points to kind of put us ahead and do things better, but I think, like I said, there’s no time to kind of frown upon. Just got to watch the tape. That’s what it comes down to, and build on the things that we did well and correct the things we haven’t, just like we’ve done in the past all the games that we’ve played in.”
The Patriots will have to turn the page to Buffalo who they play next Thursday night. Hopefully, for the Patriots it will be different than last year’s playoff game. Both teams will have a week to prepare for the matchup. Buffalo has had the Patriots number the past two seasons after 20 years of dominant performances by the Patriots. Thursday will be no easy task and the Patriots can’t afford to make any mistakes. The offense will be alright if it plays as it did against Minnesota. If the defense can play like it had before the Vikings game, they should be alright. Jones was asked about big the Bills game is.
