Dysfunction creeping in as Patriots, Mac Jones flail once more in loss to Commanders

FOXBORO, Mass. — Mac Jones wore his team-issued blue sweatshirt with a New England Patriots brand on it and gripped each side of a lectern as he tried to elucidate how issues had gotten this bleak for a sputtering offense and free-falling crew.

He was cautious Sunday to not throw anybody underneath the bus for the dreadful nature of this season or level fingers. However for the primary time, his solutions had been sprinkled with feedback that make clear how the third-year quarterback really feels about his scenario.

He paused at one particular inquiry. Different quarterbacks, those who now routinely roll into this city and depart with wins, appear to have extra open receivers to throw to than him, be it due to scheme or personnel. So does it really feel like Jones must be so superb with all the pieces he does that it’s virtually detrimental?

“Ummmm,” he mentioned, shopping for time. He didn’t need to say something dangerous about his teammates or coaches and famous that it’s laborious to match this crew to different groups. However Jones continued. “That’s an awesome level,” he mentioned. A couple of seconds later, he added, “That’s query.” He was additionally requested if it’s tough to stay assured on this offensive system and admitted, “It’s powerful,” as a part of a solution that reiterated he wants to stay assured in himself.

It was all extra proof that this crew is in uncharted waters.

The Patriots aren’t simply dangerous, they aren’t simply 2-7 for the primary time in 23 years, they aren’t simply leaving an apathy throughout the fan base, they usually’re not only a crew that misplaced 20-17 to a middling Washington Commanders bunch that traded away its two finest gamers on Tuesday. The Patriots at the moment are, it appears, at some extent that’s teetering on dysfunction.

The quarterback is making clear in his personal manner that he’s not fond of the present setup round him, be it due to the offensive coordinator or vast receivers or each. Two defensive backs are making clear in their very own manner that they’re not keen on how Invoice Belichick is dealing with their enjoying time. And that’s simply what’s taking place off the sphere.

In the meantime, the crew’s on-field efficiency alternates between maddening and boring. The Patriots make self-inflicted, easy-to-avoid errors each recreation, like their offsides penalty on an important fourth-and-2 Sunday. After they do execute what they need to do, it takes close to perfection for sustained success. Each offensive drive feels so laborious. Defensive drives appear to final till an opponent makes a mistake since this injured group struggles to get stops on third down.

All of it has left the Patriots in an unusual place for this franchise, now an NFL afterthought with no star gamers who entice nationwide consideration, and no intrigue past what this implies for Belichick’s future.

Maybe most regarding is how little issues have modified and the way few causes there are for optimism. The offense hasn’t gotten any higher. The foolish errors persist. The protection isn’t adequate to hold a nasty crew.

“While you’re 2-7, all the pieces is regarding,” mentioned vast receiver Matthew Slater, the crew’s longest-tenured and most-respected participant.

On Sunday, the crew’s prime exterior cornerbacks had been benched for the beginning of the sport however not truly benched for those who take heed to Belichick however undoubtedly really feel benched for those who base it off how they reacted.

Jack Jones and J.C. Jackson didn’t play the primary two drives, sidelined as Shaun Wade began (then didn’t play anymore as soon as Jones and Jackson had been allowed again on the sphere). In the course of the benching that wasn’t a benching in response to Belichick, Jones sulked on the — get this — bench whereas the protection was on the sphere, the one member of the unit not standing close to the sideline ready to play. After the sport, Jones favored a tweet (since eliminated) saying that he ought to’ve pled responsible (presumably to the costs he confronted for bringing loaded weapons to the airport on the outset of this season), implying that the choice is healthier than this present scenario with the Patriots.

That’s the place the crew is at now. The Patriots, as soon as a mannequin of stability that received video games simply and handled any points internally, are sprinkling in off-field drama to their on-field woes.

There’s additionally the problem of who performs and the way that’s determined. The Patriots knew they’d be with out their prime vast receivers, Kendrick Bourne (out for the season) and DeVante Parker (concussion). That left them with 5 wholesome vast receivers, sometimes the minimal wanted for a recreation, which meant a chance for rookie Kayshon Boutte, who has been a wholesome scratch in each recreation because the opener. Friday, Belichick appeared to supply a confidence booster for him, saying Boutte was coming off his finest week of follow.

Then when the sport towards the Commanders rolled round, Boutte was a wholesome scratch as soon as once more as Belichick selected the dangerous route of enjoying solely 4 vast receivers.

“We activated the gamers that we felt had been one of the best gamers to place within the recreation,” Belichick mentioned in one other gruff information convention with few definitive solutions.

The vast receivers who did play had been downright dangerous. The sport-sealing interception bounced off JuJu Smith-Schuster’s arms. Tyquan Thornton was slated for ample enjoying time, then struggled a lot early (one catch for 7 yards on 4 targets) that he was shelved. And Jalen Reagor had a deep move slip proper by means of his arms. Might Boutte probably be this dangerous? What draw back is there to enjoying a rookie in a season that was misplaced a very long time in the past?

In fact, none of that’s to absolve Mac Jones. He was dangerous, and in virtually each recreation this season, he’s been the worst of the 2 quarterbacks on the sphere. Sunday, he completed 24-of-44 for 220 yards, one landing and one interception, lacking open receivers and throwing a number of dangerous passes. It’s laborious to win like that.

Now, it looks as if he’s making his emotions identified, apparently not thrilled with a gaggle of vast receivers that’s most likely the worst within the league paired with a system run by Invoice O’Brien that’s providing virtually no straightforward throws.

So the place do the Patriots go from right here? They’re on the backside of the AFC and head to Germany for a global recreation earlier than their bye with questions swirling about how issues acquired this dangerous and who’s most at fault. How does a crew that began this season with playoff hopes lose at dwelling to a Commanders crew that simply traded away its finest gamers? The issue for the Patriots is that there’s a lot blame to go round for video games like Sunday’s, it’s tough to select only one place to begin.

(Picture: Maddie Meyer / Getty Photos)