FOXBORO, Mass. — Last week, Tom Brady was asked for his thoughts on Patriots rookie quarterback Mac Jones.
“I haven’t seen him much at all,” Brady said during the lead-up to his team’s Sunday night game in New England.
Well, Brady saw plenty of Jones on Sunday during the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ 19-17 win at Gillette Stadium. Jones, the 15th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, completed 31 of 40 passes for 275 yards and two touchdowns with one interception.
The 44-year-old offered a review of both Jones and the Patriots’ offense during his postgame press conference.
“He did a great job,” Brady said of Jones. “I think that offense does a great job. (Offensive coordinator) Josh (McDaniels) really dialed up some good plays, too. They kind of hit everything. I saw them coming in couple reverse passes and throwback. They did a good job.
“But in the end, it always comes down to a couple plays. Happy we made them. Ryan (Succop) made a huge kick. He made a few big ones last year for us. I know Nick (Folk) got a good hit on that one there at the end. It just was a little bit left.”
Brady played well enough amid sloppy, rainy conditions at Gillette Stadium, completing 22 of 43 passes for 269 yards and zero touchdowns. As Bucs head coach Bruce Arians said after the game, Brady played “careful” and prioritized avoiding mistakes.
Brady briefly met with Jones at midfield after the final whistle. Jones offered some insight into the interaction during his postgame availability.
The 3-1 Bucs will host the Miami Dolphins next Sunday, while the 1-3 Patriots will visit the Houston Texans.
