'There were times when I felt he was flustered in the pocket'
Mac Jones did not perform well in the New England Patriots’ last two losses, to say the least.
Some of this probably can be attributed to New England’s opposition. Both the Indianapolis Colts and the Buffalo Bills employ pretty formidable defenses. But has a mechanical issue also troubled the rookie signal-caller of late?
Former Patriots quarterback Matt Cassel broke down a potential problem for Jones during a recent appearance on NBC Sports Boston.
“There was just a lot of inconsistency today (Sunday), especially with accuracy,” Cassel said, as transcribed by NBCSB. “Normally his accuracy, his timing is what makes him tick, and you can see time and time again over the course of the game, he was just missing throws, whether it was Hunter Henry on the sail route or Henry (again) in the third quarter where he just overthrew a wide-open receiver.
“There were times when I felt he was flustered in the pocket. His feet weren’t set. So, there’s this thing going on with his mechanics, his technique. He’s getting a little bit flustered where he’s just missing some of these wide receivers.”
One thing Jones has been praised for since he arrived in Foxboro is his work ethic and attention to detail. So if the 23-year-old is being troubled by poor mechanics, it likely will be a point of emphasis for Jones and his coaches during practice.