New England Patriots Head Coach Benches Mac Jones for the Fourth Time This Season
In a surprising move, New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick has benched quarterback Mac Jones for the fourth time this season. During Sunday’s game against the New York Giants, Jones’ performance was subpar, prompting Belichick to replace him with backup Bailey Zappe at the start of the third quarter.
Jones’ performance against the 3-8 Giants left much to be desired. In the first two quarters, he only completed 12 of 21 passes for 89 yards, failing to secure any touchdowns and throwing two interceptions.
These numbers look bad on paper, but in reality, they were even worse. Viewers witnessed Jones make critical errors, including overthrown passes and interceptions that seemed inexplicable.
His first interception occurred in the closing moments of the first quarter, when he poorly executed a long pass downfield. His second interception was even more egregious, as it appeared that Jones threw the ball directly to linebacker Bobby Okereke.
Even routine passes seemed to be a challenge for Jones, and a fumble in the second quarter compounded his struggles.
While Belichick has benched Jones on three previous occasions this season, this is the first time he has made the decision this early in a relatively close game. Jones had previously been benched during blowout games, and in Week 10, he was replaced in the fourth quarter after throwing an interception against the Indianapolis Colts.
The decision to bench Jones raises questions about his future as the team’s full-time starter. While some NFL fans, including Patriots supporters, are eager to see him removed from the lineup permanently, Belichick is known for his indecisiveness and reluctance to make definitive decisions. Will Sunday’s game be enough to completely remove Jones as the team’s starting quarterback?
The performance of backup Bailey Zappe in the latter half of the game adds further uncertainty. Zappe completed 9 of 14 passes for 54 yards, with no touchdowns and one interception. The Patriots ultimately lost the game 10-7, leaving both players’ future roles on the team up in the air.
