If the Patriots receive Sunday’s version of Mac Jones for the remainder of the season, they’ll be in great shape.
After underwhelming performances against the Los Angeles Chargers and the Carolina Panthers, Jones was very sharp in Week 10. The rookie quarterback set season — and career — highs in completion percentage (82.6), passer rating (142.1) and touchdown passes in a single game (three) as New England beat the brakes off the Cleveland Browns at Gillette Stadium.
Not only did Jones’ great play help the Patriots notch their fourth consecutive win, it also earned him a higher spot on Mike Tannenbaum’s quarterback ranking. The NFL executive-turned-analyst now has the Alabama product at 13, two spots higher than last week’s mark.
“The Patriots’ Mac Jones had a big game for the surging Patriots, completing plus-16.2% of his passes over expectation, the highest CPOE for a rookie QB in a game this season,” Tannebaum wrote for ESPN.com. “Jones was especially accurate throwing downfield, completing six of his seven passes thrown at least 10 yards downfield for 103 yards and a TD. He simply was the better QB on the field on Sunday, significantly outplaying Cleveland’s Baker Mayfield. Jones is playing with more anticipation than he did earlier in the season.”
Jones will try to stay on his upward trajectory Thursday night when the 6-4 Patriots visit the 4-5 Atlanta Falcons to kick off Week 11.
