The Patriots were blown out in Mac Jones’ NFL playoff debut, but the young quarterback isn’t putting the beatdown in Buffalo in the rearview mirror.
In fact, Jones is keeping the lopsided loss on the forefront of his mind.
New England didn’t stand a chance in its AFC Wild Card meeting with the Bills back in January. Three weeks after losing by two touchdowns to Josh Allen and company at Gillette Stadium, the Patriots were outclassed in a 30-point drubbing at Highmark Stadium. The shellacking made it clear New England still had a ways to go in reclaiming AFC East supremacy.
Jones figures to be motivated to gain some of that ground in the upcoming season, and all he’ll need to do to add some more fuel to the fire is take a peak into his locker. As PatsPulpit’s Brian Hones pointed out after New England’s preseason opener, Jones has a photo of the aforementioned rout in his stall with the final score, 47-17, written on it.
Unfortunately for Jones, he’ll have to wait a while for his first crack at the Bills since the reigning division champions ended the Patriots’ 2021 campaign. Buffalo and New England aren’t slated to meet for their first 2022 regular-season matchup until Dec. 1 when the rivals collide for a “Thursday Night Football” tilt in Foxboro.
