Though it resulted in a penalty, Mac Jones appreciated David Andrews' support during Sunday's New England Patriots loss.
Andrews accosted Matt Milano after the Buffalo Bills linebacker hit Jones while he was sliding. Milano's late hit drew a flag for unnecessary roughness, but it was negated when Andrews, the Patriots' longtime center, also was penalized for taunting.
Asked about that sequence on Monday, Jones thanked Andrews for sticking up for him.
"I really appreciate him having my back along with the offensive line," the rookie quarterback said on WEEI's "Merloni & Fauria." "At the end of the day, it's football, and we're all going to go out there and compete and all that. It was just one of those plays.
"I guess the refs made the call, and it kind of is what it is. But at the end of the day, we've just got to go out there and execute the plays and try to do it between the whistles and all that. But I can't thank them enough for having my back in every situation."
Head referee Shawn Smith said after New England's 33-21 loss that Andrews was flagged because "he got into the face of the opponent and started yelling." Andrews accepted blame for the foul -- which the Patriots overcame to score one of Damien Harris' three touchdowns -- during his postgame news conference.
"I have to be better," the veteran lineman said. "I take pride in not trying to hurt the football team, and that hurt the football team. I understand how they're calling it, and I have to be better."
