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Josh McDaniels, Mac Jones acknowledge the Patriots’ glaring weakness on offense

It’s not challenging to identify what the New England Patriots haven’t done well in the first two weeks of the season. In fact, the Patriots haven’t done it all. Quarterback Mac Jones has not thrown the ball downfield.

It’s easy to imagine coach Bill Belichick and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels have elected to coach Jones to take the easy completion at this point in his young career. So that’s what he’s doing, rather than end up like New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson, who had an ugly four-interception game on Sunday. While New England (1-1) is not losing because of Jones, the Patriots will encounter better offenses in the coming weeks. At that point, they may require more from Jones.

So let’s dive into what we’ve seen statistically and on film — and then look at what Jones and McDaniels are saying.

Looking at the numbers

These stats help contextualize what is causing growing concern about the Patriots offense.

  • Per Next Gen Stats, Jones is averaging just 5.6 air yards per attempt, the fifth-lowest mark in the league.

  • He has just 15 attempts on throws with 10-plus air yards.

  • In Week 2, Jones threw the ball just 4.6 yards down the field per attempt, according to NextGen Stats. That's the fourth-lowest figure in a game so far this season.

  • In Week 2, Jones and the offense averaged just 4.6 yards per play.

  • In Week 2, Jones attempted just two passes that traveled 20 yards past the line of scrimmage, with a 20-yard completion and a 22-yard incompletion.

By now, you probably believe me: Jones was not throwing the ball downfield. But here's a visual representation of how much Jones was targeting receivers near -- and often behind -- the line of scrimmage.

Looking at the film

Here's the strongest example, in part because CBS analyst Trent Green acknowledged it on the broadcast and also because the play is emblematic of Jones' shortcomings. It's a trick play, essentially included in the playbook to provide a big play. The point is to get a long pickup. That was why it was surprising to see Jones take his checkdown when receiver Nelson Agholor had created significant separation and seemed open for a touchdown pass. Jones said that Smith was right in his line of vision, and had plenty of space for a first down. So he took it. That's good football -- but not great football. https://twitter.com/tkyles39/status/1440196432292507649 Had Jones executed the deep pass to Agholor, he would have made a spectacular play. It was one of many instances during the Jets game where he missed a chance to get more yards than he took. Jones often elected to look for a quick pickup, rather than driving the ball downfield.

What Mac Jones has said about it

Jones was asked whether he felt the play-calling was too conservative. “I wouldn’t say that," he told WEEI sports radio on Monday. "I think it goes back to just me sticking to my rules and there’s sometimes when the defense takes plays away and that’s why we play. I mean, they are good on defense, too. At the same time, I feel like you take the three or four plays, or whatever it may be, whether it is in practice or a game, and you re-watch them and you’re like ‘OK, I probably could’ve thrown that one.’

"But, at the end of the day, it’s about moving the ball and taking what the defense gives you. If they give you the deep shot, then take it. But if they give you the short, then take the short. It’s kind of what the defense is doing, really.”

The Jets defense did, in fact, drop into zone coverage, which would support Jones' decision to favor the quick passing attack. Jones was also under pressure for seven of his 33 dropbacks. That, too, could lead to him delivering quicker passes.

What Josh McDaniels has said about it

McDaniels fielded questions about whether he felt comfortable allowing Jones to push the ball downfield. "I trust him completely," McDaniels said of Jones. "Believe me, there's not a whole lot we're holding back for him. ... You want to be able to test those areas of the field as we go forward, but I also want him to make smart decisions, I want him to protect the football, and I want him to be aggressive when there are times to be aggressive." He's doing just that. Jones' adjusted completion percentage was 85.7 in Week 2, per Pro Football Focus. He has not turned over the football, even if he's had a few close calls.

The clear takeaway...

What the stats and Patriots are saying: He isn't the reason they're winning but he won't be the reason they lose. Jones wasn't the reason the Patriots lost in Week 1. He contributed to their offensive production in a big way and played better. And my sense is that he did more for the offense because the team needed more from the rookie quarterback. He was taking more risks and pushing the ball downfield to beat pressure, because he had more reason to do so: the Patriots were trailing for a lot of that game. Against the Jets, however, the Patriots led the entire game. Wilson turned over the ball four times -- essentially ruining the Jets' hopes of winning the game. So Jones made a point of doing the opposite, safely guiding his team to victory. It's likely the quarterback is not ready to attack the field like Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers, Kyler Murray or even Justin Herbert. It's possible Jones never gets to that point. But it's unfair to judge him too harshly upon what we've seen over this short period. Over the next two weeks, we may see him test defenses -- and himself -- with downfield passing. The upcoming opponents include the New Orleans Saints in Week 3 and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 4. Not only are those defenses elite, but the offenses can put up points. It will be interesting to see if Jones can make bigger plays.

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