Mac Jones and the New England Patriots have had a very tough start to the 2023 NFL season. The Patriots have now lost back to back games by over 30 points, and some have called for Jones to be replaced as the starting quarterback after he hit the bench early in both blowout losses.

However, it appears that, at least for the near future, Jones will retain his position as the Patriots' starter.

“While QB Mac Jones is expected to start Sunday, I’m told this is still an important week of practice for him as the Patriots evaluate every position on the roster on the heels of the worst two losses of Bill Belichick’s career,” wrote The Athletic's Jeff Howe on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Jones has six turnovers in those two losses.”
The first of the Patriots' consecutive epic defeats occurred against the Dallas Cowboys. Jones threw for just 150 yards, no touchdowns, and two interceptions, one of which was returned to the end zone, in that contest. Then, despite being back in the friendly confines of Gillette Stadium, the Patriots suffered a 34-0 demolition at the hands of the New Orleans Saints, with Jones registering an even less impressive 110 yards, zero touchdowns, and once again two interceptions, opening the door for backup Bailey Zappe to finish out the game.
In fairness, Mac Jones is far from the only problem that Bill Belichick has had to deal with this season. However, as the poor performances continue to rack up, it's fair to wonder how long the leash is for quarterback going forward.