Did you also notice what we did? In the first quarter of the game against the New York Giants and the New England Patriots, we got to see something that took us back in time. Mac Jones, the starting Quarterback for the Pats momentarily seemed to resemble the GOAT of football. Whoever had been entrusted with the task of trying to replace Tom Brady knew the weight of the responsibility on his shoulders.
After all the speculation and mystery around who will start as quarterback for the game, Mac Jones became Bill Belichick’s pick. Previously when asked by the media as to who will start the game for the Pats, the head coach just said, “I’ve told all the players the same thing: Be ready to go. Hopefully they will be.” Then came the dramatic turning point when backup QB Will Grier was waived off by the Pats. Now that the fog has lifted, this game now stands at a 7-7 tie in Q4 with 12:25 minutes remaining on the clock.
Mac Jones’ gridiron reaction made him a look-alike of Tom Brady
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If you had blinked during the Giants game, you probably would have missed it. Mac Jones let out a primal grunt, with his arms by his sides. And in that moment, you could be forgiven for thinking it was Tom Brady, playing again for the Pats. The resemblance was uncanny. But the moment passed, and it was Mac Jones again.
Belichick had kept Patriots fans on their toes with his refusal to announce the starting QB for the Sunday Night Football game. There were three prospects: Jones, Grier, Mark Cunnigham, and Bailey Zappe. Jones had been benched in the 10-6 losing game against the Indianapolis Colts and then the Pats went off into their bye week.
Well, giving Brady-like vibes and living up to his name are two different things. Jones truly fumbled by the time he managed to slide into Q2.
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Belichick compelled to use Mac Jones at the last moment?
As both teams failed to secure any points during the first quarter, why did Belichick decide to go with Jones? In the Colts game, Zappe had replaced Jones. But Zappe hasn’t had luck on the gridiron either. He was part of the team when they lost big time to the Dallas Cowboys (38-3) and the New Orleans Saints (34-0). Will Grier had been waived off, while Cunningham had not been upgraded from the practice squad. So, Belichick was only left with the QB who had started most games for the Pats since Brady’s departure.
Jones failed to live up to the Pats’ expectations with 2,031 passing yards this season and 10 interceptions so far in the season. He is currently fifth in the league in terms of interceptions. However, in this game, Jones was 12 of 21 for 89 yards and threw two interceptions. This cost the Pats and led to the Giants’ touchdown. Moreover, he was replaced by Bailey Zappe at the start of the second half, tying a touchdown in Q3. Well, picking Jones could have been a slight error as Pats will be in a difficult position. Going into the game they are 2-8, and have a 3-game losing streak. The game is presently at a crucial moment with a 7-7 tie.
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