New England Patriots rookie quarterback Mac Jones enjoyed a stellar preseason debut against the Washington Football Team, inspiring chants from the Foxborough faithful and plenty of praise from his teammates. Of course, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick reacted in the only way he could: with a totally even keel.
Of Jones' overall performance commanding the offense, Belichick said: “Some good things, some things we can improve on. That's true for everybody.”
Jones' final stat line from this game is nothing special: 13-of-19 with no touchdowns and no interceptions. The Patriots put up two field goals with the rookie under center.
However, Jones should have had one touchdown pass on the night. He delivered a 34-yard strike on his first drive that Kristian Wilkerson couldn't corral in the end zone. Wilkerson even admitted after the game that he should have hauled in the touchdown.
Patriots fans were chanting for Jones to come back in the game in the fourth quarter. While that didn't work, they had to be happy with what they saw from their quarterback of the future in the 22-13 win. It was a good first step for the youngster, and his teammates are taking notice of his growth already.
That includes current starter Cam Newton, who's impressed by Jones' preparation. While Jones could wind up stealing Newton's job in the near future, the veteran quarterback has nothing but praise for the rookie and will do everything he can to help him improve on the job.
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