Not many rookie quarterbacks have matched the numbers Mac Jones has compiled for the New England Patriots this season.
In Sunday’s 54-13 rout of the New York Jets, the Patriots’ first-year signal-caller became just the fourth rookie in NFL history to pass for at least 225 yards and a touchdown in five consecutive games, joining Dak Prescott (2016), Justin Herbert (2020) and Deshaun Watson (2017).
Jones also ranks third all-time in total completions through his first seven career starts (174) — behind two 2020 draft picks: Joe Burrow (195) and Justin Herbert (181) — and first in completion percentage (70.5%) during that span. He’s also ninth in passing yards and 13th in passer rating.
Jones completed 24 of 36 passes for 307 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions in Sunday’s lopsided win, surpassing 300 passing yards for the first time in his young career. He nearly finished with four touchdowns, as Kendrick Bourne was tackled at the 1-yard line on one completion and Hunter Henry was dragged down at the 3 on another.
Seven games in, Jones, who’s primarily relied on short and intermediate passes thus far, ranks fourth in the NFL in completion percentage. Only Kyler Murray, Prescott and Russell Wilson have completed passes at a higher rate this season. Jones also ranks seventh in completion percentage over expectation, per NFL Next Gen Stats, and is Pro Football Focus’s 12th-highest-graded quarterback.
Among rookies, Jones ranks first in nearly every passing category, easily outpacing fellow 2021 draftees Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson, Trey Lance and Justin Fields.
“Mac’s been steady,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick said Monday. “I don’t think there’s any one play or any one moment that’s changed the direction of his development. It’s just play by play, day by day, just stacking those together and accumulating the experience he has.”
The Patriots’ Jones-led offense had by far its most-productive game of the season against New York, scoring seven touchdowns and punting just once. The 54 points scored were the most by a New England team since 2013.
