"It's wild they never hate on Trevor Lawrence" - NFL Reddit unhappy with unfair criticism of Patriots QB Mac Jones
New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones started 1-3, rocketed all the way up to the top seed in the AFC, and endured one of the worst playoff losses in Patriots' history. Some fans see Jones as the young 1-3 rookie while others see him as Tom Brady's second coming.
Both sides clashed on NFL Reddit in response to a post questioning a take on ESPN, sparking an onslaught of protective remarks about the quarterback. Here's what was said, starting with a comparison between Jones and Trevor Lawrence.
This Patriots fan said he doesn't see Jones as the next Tom Brady but as someone closer to Drew Bledsoe. Bledsoe was Brady's predecessor who was largely seen as a decent quarterback, but woefully inferior to the No. 12.
This Patriots fan thinks 2021 was only the beginning for the quarterback.
This fan simply said that ESPN should be avoided altogether.
This Mac Jones defender had a strongly-worded rebuttle with explicit language. Put simply, he or she is expecting big things from the young quarterback.
Mac Jones surprised this fan by beating expectations.
This fan thinks a Super Bowl could be in the quarterback's future, even if he ends up being more of a "Joe Flacco," than a "Tom Brady."
This New England fan thinks the young quarterback only needs the right talent around him and used Joe Burrow's offensive situation as a bar.
This Jones fan listed a number of reasons why doubters are wrong, from the team's 10-7 record to comparing him to the other quarterbacks of his draft class.
This fan said that the future is bright for the young quarterback.
Mac Jones' rookie season with Patriots
According to Pro Football Reference, Mac Jones started his rookie season in typical rookie fashion. After seven games, he was 2-5 and many wrote him off for 2021. However, that was when the light came on. Starting in Week 7, the team began a seven-game winning streak.
This first step and ability to reach a 3-tech with no help is exactly why Kyle Shanahan had a really high grade on him.
Combine that with the Pierre Strong pick and I kind of think that New England wants to lean into more outside zone and bootleg stuff to complement Mac Jones.
By the start of Week 14, the team was 9-4. Many had changed their tune, saying the Patriots were back. Comparisons to Tom Brady were getting thrown around like insults at a Thanksgiving dinner gone wrong.
However, once again, the quarterback hit a wall, finishing on a 1-3 slide. The team still made the playoffs but lost the division.
Nevertheless, Jones had a shot to get the final laugh in a Wild Card matchup against the Buffalo Bills. Instead, the team went out with a whimper, losing 47-17. Since then, both doubters and believers have used the season as a de facto Rorschach test. Which side will Jones prove right in 2022?