Best Situational NFL QBs: Where Does Patriots Mac Jones Rank?
As a rookie, Mac Jones started all 17 games and threw for 3,801 yards and 22 touchdowns while leading the New England Patriots to 10 wins and a playoff berth. So, he must have done something right.
But not enough - according to a new report by USA Today - to be ranked among the NFL's best quarterbacks making a variety of throws or faced with diverse scenarios. While Jones may impress teammates with his leadership and be one of the Pat's top three players heading into 2022, the report says that - in certain situations - Jones is not as effective as the Vikings' Kirk Cousins or even the Giants' Daniel Jones.
We're not suggesting Jones has the athleticism of Lamar Jackson, the creativity of Patrick Mahomes, the pocket presence of Tom Brady or the accuracy of Aaron Rodgers, but surely he's good at something?
But, no, Jones was not mentioned in any of the report's 16 categories. Instead, the "winners" were ...
1-Step Drop: Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs
3-Step Drop: Matthew Stafford, Rams
5-Step Drop: Kirk Cousins, Vikings
7-Step Drop: Daniel Jones, Giants
Designed Rollout: Dak Prescott, Cowboys
Run/Pass Option: Aaron Rodgers, Packers
Pre-Snap Motion: Russell Wilson, Broncos
No Pre-Snap Motion: Joe Burrow, Bengals
Play-Action: Cousins
No Play-Action: Burrow
Blitz: Stafford
No Blitz: Rodgers
Under Pressure: Wilson
No Pressure: Rodgers
In Pocket: Rodgers
Outside Pocket: Josh Allen, Bills
Maybe it's just us, but isn't a no-brainer that Bill Belichick is happy to have Jones over the likes of Cousins and Jones?