The New England Patriots season ended Sunday when they were defeated by the Buffalo Bills in a game they needed to win to make the playoffs, and fans appear to be taking aim at quarterback Mac Jones, with back-up Bailey Zappe trending on Twitter in the aftermath of the game.
The Patriots defence did cause the Bills and superstar quarterback Josh Allen some issues, but they were still able to somehow score 35 points - more than enough for the Pats offense to match who scored just 23.
Jones remained in at quarterback throughout, and although he did throw for 240 yards and three touchdowns, he would also make mistakes at crucial times - with three interceptions killing their momentum offense and any chance of a comeback.
It's been the story of the season for Jones, with all of his good plays being cancelled out by the bad - after throwing just 14 touchdowns all season long, with 11 interceptions. Those numbers are bad enough for the Patriots to consider whether Jones should be the quarterback of the future - especially when considering what they have already on the roster.
Fourth-round rookie Bailey Zappe had started two games in relief of Jones after he was injured, and looked to spring the offense to life. He finished the season with five touchdowns and three interceptions, with Pats fans wondering if he should have been given more of a chance this past season - and whether he could be the man in 2023.
Many Pats fans were highlighting Jones' inability to make certain throws, believing that he may be limiting the offense, especially with Zappe waiting in the wings.
One Patriots fan even asked: "Serious question... would you rather have Tom Brady or Bailey Zappe in 2023?".
Jones could be made available this off-season, with a number of teams set to be looking for a quarterback. And with the Patriots set to have the 14th overall draft pick, they could use it in a very strong quarterback draft, with analysts projecting that five or six players could be selected in the first-round and be day one starters.
Bryce Young (Alabama), Will Levis (Kentucky), CJ Stroud (Ohio State), Anthony Richardson (Florida) and Tanner McKee (Stanford) are all being highlighted as potential top 20 picks, with teams like the Patriots potentially considering moving up in the draft - potentially dangling Jones in a trade for a team willing to take a chance on the former first-rounder.
