To say New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones is off to a rough start this season would be a massive understatement.
The former NCAA title-winning QB at Alabama is under serious heat in New England after yet another brutal performance Sunday, a 34–0 shutout loss at home against the Saints. Jones threw for just 110 yards and two more interceptions, including a first quarter pick-six for Tyrann Mathieu that came essentially gift-wrapped for the Saints defense.
That pick-six put Jones on the wrong side of a stat that has generated plenty of buzz among NFL fans. According to ESPN Stats and Info, Jones has now thrown four pick-sixes at Gillette Stadium in his less than 2.5 seasons in New England. Meanwhile, legendary Pats QB Tom Brady threw just four pick-sixes at Gillette in the 18 seasons he called Gillette home, starting in 2002 when the building opened.
Mac Jones' 1st-quarter interception was his 4th career pick-six thrown at Gillette Stadium.
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) October 8, 2023
That's as many as Tom Brady threw at Gillette his entire career. (Gillette Stadium opened in 2002) pic.twitter.com/NWrci5LO3i
Patriots coach Bill Belichick did indicate after the game that Jones will remain the team’s starting quarterback, despite him being benched late Sunday for Bailey Zappe, saying the offensive struggles “certainly [weren’t] all on him.”
However, stats like that one show off just how far the Patriots have fallen and sparked plenty of conversation about Jones’ future in New England.
If every future Pats QB is compared to Tom’s career this franchise is doomed. https://t.co/ri45yltmLQ
— Robert Alvarez (@ralvarez617) October 8, 2023
Whoever the next big starting QB is in New England in the future will be so happy to have to outperform Mac instead of Brady https://t.co/E5Z9uGFQ76
— stephen (@gumbofilms) October 8, 2023
Patriots have a serious QB problem.
— Steven McCollum (@smac500) October 8, 2023
*have had https://t.co/Hfx7uNevtg
Oh my god https://t.co/5ifldT0FIT
— Jason Graziadei (@JasonGraziadei) October 8, 2023
This is an unreal stat https://t.co/F4gw8ZxliU
— Justin Lamontagne (@JayRock3113) October 8, 2023