FOXBORO, Mass. — The Mac Jones Revenge Game is upon us.
Well… kind of.
Jones and the Jacksonville Jaguars will play the New England Patriots in London on Sunday. The game will mark the first time Jones sees his former team since New England traded him to Jacksonville last offseason. However, Jones will hold a clipboard and back up Trevor Lawrence as the Jaguars look to spoil rookie Drake Maye’s second NFL start.
With the reunion nearing, Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo was asked about Jones and his potential impact on Maye’s development.
Jerod Mayo Comments on Mac Jones Ahead of Drake Maye’s Second Start
Maye, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, was brought along slowly during training camp. He didn’t see first-team reps until late in the summer and began the season as New England’s No. 2 quarterback behind Jacoby Brissett.
Mayo recently admitted that concerns about New England’s struggling offensive line factored into the decision to keep Maye off the field. Maye saw his first NFL start last Sunday and predictably took a beating while showing promise in a blowout loss to the Houston Texans.
Of course, wretched O-line play was one of many issues that contributed to Jones’ stark regression after a promising rookie campaign in 2021.
Ahead of Wednesday’s practice, Mayo was asked whether Jones’ failure — and the circumstances surrounding it — weighed on him as he chose to slow-play Maye’s development.
“I didn’t really think about it that way,” Mayo said. “I think every situation with a first-year quarterback is its own unique situation.
“Mac — I’m good friends with Mac. I think he’s a great guy. And, hopefully, he turns into a great quarterback.”
The Patriots and Jaguars both went 1-5 in the first six weeks while looking like two of the worst teams in football. Sunday’s matchup is a must-win game for both teams, although it potentially means more for Jacksonville, with head coach Doug Pederson sitting on a hot seat.
Kickoff from Wembley Stadium is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. ET.
Could Jones Play Against the Patriots in Week 7?
Lawrence isn’t in danger of losing his job despite being one of the league’s most disappointing quarterbacks over the first six weeks.
The 25-year-old, who signed a $275 million extension before the season, completed just 60.7% of his passes while committing five turnovers and taking 15 sacks. It’s not a stretch to say that Lawrence would’ve been benched by now if he weren’t a former No. 1 overall pick playing on a lucrative contract.
That said, Jones twice has replaced Lawrence this season, both times late in blowout losses. The 2021 first-round pick played 14 snaps during a 47-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills in Week 3 and three snaps during last Sunday’s 35-16 loss to the Chicago Bears.
Jones went 5 for 8 for 22 yards while losing a fumble against the Bills and completed his only pass for six yards against the Bears.
Given the importance of this game, it’s not unreasonable to suggest Jones could replace Lawrence earlier than usual if the Jaguars fall into an early deficit. Pederson could exhaust all options with his job on the line.
Even if that happens, it’s hard to envision Jones permanently replacing Lawrence, who’s the face of the franchise and remains wildly talented. The more likely scenario would be Jones show flashes of his 2021 form before being traded at the deadline.
Nevertheless, there’s a real chance we see Mac Jones vs. Drake Maye on Sunday — just not at the start of the game.