Where is the Patriot Panic Button? After Sunday’s 20-7 embarrassment in Miami, It’s fair to say that the panic button is out of the cabinet and on the table. It’s not time to push it yet, but it’s on the table. I miss the days when the panic button was locked in a dark safe, but here we are. If you’re nervous that this is the end, you’re certainly not alone. However, there may be light at the end of the tunnel.
I do like Mac Jones. As scary as it is though, the success of the Patriots season is going to come down to Mac Jones. Never a good sign when your best hope is named McCorkle. It sounds like he’s a caddy for a Scottish golf course rather than under center for the six time super bowl champs. He could be a vegan tennis coach in Connecticut. It sounds like he’s a chocolate maker in Belgium. He was a child tennis star. Similar to any jokes about his name, his play on Sunday was just ok.
Mac was 21/ 30 on pass attempts with 213 yards, one TD to Ty Montgomery, one int, and one fumble. Overall, not a terrible day. He wasn’t the best quarterback in Sunday’s slate of games, but he wasn’t the worst. Mac could have done better, but he could have done worse. Unfortunately, with this group of pass catcher around him, “just ok” is not going to cut it. If Tom Brady was still in the pocket, a “just ok” group of receivers would have been fine. For God’s sake he was throwing to lacrosse players and felons at the end of his tenure in Foxboro.
Mac is not to blame. He was by no means spectacular, but he isn’t to blame. How could he be? His predecessor at Alabama was on the other sideline throwing to Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle while he has Jakobi Meyers, Kendrick Bourne, and Jonnu Smith at his disposal. I’m not sure if any of those three Pats were drafted in a single fantasy league this year. Why would they be? Oh and their big offseason pickup Devanate Parker? You mean the guy that the opponent let walk? This is what I mean when I say that this Patriots season comes down to Mac Jones. He was to turn this rag-tag group of wide outs from water into wine.
That being said, it is still not time to slam the panic button. Last year’s Patriot campaign started in the same spot. An underwhelming loss to Miami in Florida. Mac threw for 200-something yards, and the Patriots lost 16-17. Afterwards, they rebounded with a win over the Jets and a lot of progression before going on their seven game win streak. If the Pats can pull out a win in Pittsburgh next week and Mac takes a step forward there is still hope. I don’t know how confident I am in that happening, but there’s only one way to find out. If I’m a bettor, I’d take PIT +1.5. The Patriot Panic Button is on the table, but don’t smash it just yet.
