Bill Belichick Issues Subtle Mac Jones Challenge Before Patriots-Saints

FOXBORO, Mass. -- Bill Belichick praised Mac Jones for his resilience in the wake of the worst outing of the Patriots quarterback's career.

But that praise also featured a subtle challenge, whether intentional or not.

Ahead of a must-win matchup with the New Orleans Saints this Sunday at Gillette Stadium, Belichick was asked about Jones' ability to bounce back from poor outings like the one he had last week in Dallas.

"Anybody who plays or coaches in this league has not-so-good performances somewhere along the line," New England's head coach said Friday. "It's part of the job, part of the situation. Every week's a new week. Mac's pretty mentally tough. So is everybody else around here. I mean, you have to be in this league.

"If it just goes from bad to worse, then you're not going to be around very long. We all get knocked down, got to get up and go back in the ring."

That's the non-negotiable key for Jones this week: Don't let bad become worse. Even the greatest NFL QBs lay eggs from time to time. It's on him to prove his ghastly three-turnover showing in the Patriots' 38-3 loss to the Cowboys was a one-time outlier, not an accurate portrayal of the player he is.

Though he still has yet to notch a single signature win since taking over as the Patriots' starter in 2021, Jones played well overall in New England's first three games this season before the Dallas disaster. That lopsided loss featured what offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien called "very uncharacteristic" decision-making by Jones, who also showed poor mechanics and was lucky to have just two of his several ill-advised throws intercepted.

The Cowboys returned one of Jones' INTs for a touchdown and also scored on a strip-sack. Belichick, whose roster-building mishaps at right tackle and wide receiver limited Jones' options, eventually lifted him for backup Bailey Zappe late in the third quarter.

"I think he'll get back to doing it the way he knows how to do it," O'Brien said Tuesday. "He's just trying to make a play, he's wanting to win, he's very competitive. Maybe the plays weren't great. So, I have to be involved in that, big-time, with him. I understand that. I think you'll see a lot of improvement in Mac as we keep moving forward here."

The Patriots aren't bailing on Jones after one miserable outing -- Belichick said immediately after the game that he'd start against New Orleans -- but they could reconsider that stance if his Week 4 struggles persist. Both he and his team, which is in danger of falling to 1-4 for the first time since 2000, badly need a bounce-back performance against a beatable Saints team.