Mac Jones will remain the Patriots' starter in Week 6 despite being benched in two straight games
The New England Patriots are 1-4 and have the worst offense in football, but head coach Bill Belichick isn't panicking ... yet. Belichick announced Wednesday that the team is "not making any changes" ahead of its Week 6 game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
That means Mac Jones will remain the team's starting quarterback ... for now.
Bill Belichick says "we're not making any changes" when asked if Mac Jones will start this week. So... Mac Jones is the starter for the Patriots against the Raiders this Sunday in a huge game for everyone in New England.
— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) October 11, 2023
Jones has struggled in his third season in the NFL. Through five games, Jones has a career-low 62.5 completion percentage and has thrown five touchdowns against six interceptions. He's also been benched in two consecutive games.
Jones was removed in the third quarter of the team's Week 4 loss to the Dallas Cowboys after the Patriots fell behind 31-3. Bailey Zappe came on in relief of Jones, though failed to put points on the board. The Patriots eventually lost the game, 38-3.
The same thing happened in Week 5. With the Patriots trailing 31-0 to the New Orleans Saints, Jones was removed early in the fourth quarter. Zappe once again received playing time, completing 3-of-9 passes for 22 yards. The Saints won 34-0.
Through five games, the Patriots have scored just 55 points, the lowest total in the NFL. The team has scored six touchdowns, tying them with the New York Giants for the worst offense in the league.
Jones isn't the only problem with Patriots' offense, but he might be the most replaceable. There's no guarantee Zappe performs better if he's elevated into the starting role, but the Patriots might feel it's worth a shot if Jones turns in another dreadful performance in Week 6.
