'Alabama Mac': Patriots QB Reveals New Goals

New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones is looking to bounce back from last season's regression.

What is the goal this season for New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones as he prepares for his third season in the NFL? 

“I think that’s a big thing for me, keeping it loose and going out there and slinging it," Jones said about his goal for this season in a recent interview with Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer. "Going back to the Alabama Mac.”

So, what - and who - is "Alabama Mac?"

“When I’m in the right headspace and I can go out there and let it fly and not think too much and go play football,” Jones explained. “It should be fun. You have to go out there and enjoy it. There’s going to be tough times, too. You have to understand, How do we bounce back? How do we play the next play as a unit? That starts with the quarterback."

Judging by Jones' comments and what we saw last season, it seems fair to say that the former first-round pick wasn't in that proper mindset. Not only that, but Jones cut a frustrated figure during a disastrous season for the Patriots, as he was seen several times yelling out in frustration as the New England offense faltered under the guidance of Matt Patricia and Joe Judge.

But now Jones says he has "turned the page" on last season and is looking forward to a clean slate with new offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien. 

Patriots fans got a brief look into what an offense that features "Alabama Mac" looks like last Saturday in the second preseason game against the Green Bay Packers. In three drives with a patchwork offensive line, Jones completed six of nine passes for 52 yards.

So far, based on the limited sample size, it seems O'Brien is doing everything he can to help bring the best out of Jones. At Alabama, he produced a prolific season in 2020 with 4,500 yards, 41 touchdowns, and four only interceptions while completing a 77.4 percent of his passes.

One of those ways was executed to near perfection on Saturday, as O'Brien called a run-pass option (RPO) on the Patriots' first drive, where Jones decided to keep the ball and throw it to Kendrick Bourne instead of handing it to Rhamondre Stevenson.

The play that saw Jones hit Bourne for a 13-yard gain, advancing the Patriots further into the Packers' Red Zone, was a familiar sight to those that watched what he did at Alabama. Not only does the RPO keep defenses honest, as they cannot sell out to stop the run due to the threat of the pass and vice versa, yet it also prevents a quarterback from overthinking as they have to decide what to do with the ball within seconds of calling for the snap. 

While Jones walked away from Lambeau Field without having thrown or run for a touchdown, he can take confidence that he demonstrated his ability to operate within the offense even with an offensive line that injuries have plagued. 

“I’m definitely excited, but, like I always say, you have to be ready for the good. You have to be ready for the bad," Jones said. "Going out there and competing is all you can do, and then responding to mistakes positively is something I’m going to put a lot of pride into, just trying to get back to the way I played in college.”

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