Bill Belichick Reveals Change with New England Patriots; Sticking with 'Skittish' Mac Jones?
One could argue that the New England Patriots - playing their most inept football since they were named "Boston" - have taken the last two weeks off. But in the wake of historic losses by a combined 72-3, Bill Belichick began a soul-searching week in Foxboro by ... giving the players an unexpected day off.
"Usually (their day off) it's Tuesday, but we made it Monday," Belichick said. "We switched the schedule around a little bit."
Though Patriots fans wished the tweak was only the first of many, bigger changes, Belichick remained his stoic - stubborn? - self in addressing back-to-back losses of 38-3 and 34-0. Facing a barrage of "what now?!" questions from the media, the future Hall of Famer stuck to his monotone DNA with generalized, gruff answers.
"Our goals are short-term," he said. "We're getting ready for (next Sunday's opponent) Las Vegas. We're focused on where we are right now and moving forward."
Said veteran captain David Andrews in Sunday's locker room, "“I think the biggest thing is, let’s just start over.”
Bill Belichick seems to be sticking with Mac Jones at quarterback of the Patriots.
Cred: New York Post Images
The team hasn't played this pathetic since 1970 when it was the Boston Patriots. After Sunday's 34-point dismantling by the mediocre New Orleans Saints, questions abound about Belichick's job, quarterback Mac Jones' confidence and the alarming trajectory of a careless, punchless team headed farther away from the glory days of Tom Brady and directly toward a Top 5 pick in next year's NFL Draft.
Leading a litany of problems, the Pats haven't scored a touchdown in their last 10 quarters. For now, however, the 71-year-old Belichick seems prepared to stick with Jones at quarterback.
"Mac works hard," he said. "I have a lot of respect for what he does. ... We need to take care of the ball, move the ball and score points."
While Belichick merely shrugs at any quarterback controversy between Jones and Bailey Zappe, CBS analyst Boomer Esiason said Monday morning that something has to change.
"Mac has regressed, he looks skittish," Esiason said. "He's a shell of what he's supposed to be. It's going to be a long slog the rest of the season."
As expected, Belichick is in no mood to address his job status despite the increased volume of the national narrative speculating that his time at New England might finally be up after 24 seasons.
"I'm going to the best I can to help our football team," he said. "That's my job."
