Mac Jones and the New England Patriots weren't good enough Saturday night -- and they all know it.
It also sounds like they weren't good enough during the lead-up to Saturday night's 27-17 loss to the Indianapolis Colts.
Multiple players criticized themselves and their teammates for not having a good week of practice after the bye week, and Jones was no different. The rookie quarterback endured an uneven performance at Lucas Oil Stadium, struggling in the first half but surging in the second, eventually finishing with 26 completions on 45 passes with two touchdowns and two picks.
"I just don't think it was our best effort," Jones said at the beginning of his postgame press conference. "It starts with me, just throughout the week, we didn't have a great practice every day. So, it is what it is. You just have to move on and keep your head high."
When asked to expound upon his comments about practice, Jones added: "I just think we, starting with me, just the energy was kind of low. Maybe, like, feeling a little sorry for ourselves 'cause, you know, whatever, we come off the bye, and stuff. Not to get into details, but we just didn't practice well.
"And that just reflects how we played. I didn't practice good. I know a lot of guys on our team felt the same way. So, we have to come to work every day and just be positive. And it's one game, it's not the end of the world."
The Patriots on Saturday night did not look like the same team that just won seven straight games. They made the kinds of mistakes that make Bill Belichick lose sleep at night.
But New England can't dwell on what happened in Indianapolis, as next Sunday's game against the Buffalo Bills suddenly looks like a must-win.
"We have to look at ourselves," Jones, who called his red-zone interception "unacceptable," told reporters. "Quick turnaround, flush this game down the toilet and just roll.
"Starting tonight, get onto the next game and be ready to roll for next week."
