Are the Patriots wrong for enabling Mac Jones?
There has been a lot of talk this week about Mac Jones’ desire to revert back to “Alabama Mac” following an interview he did with Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer earlier this week. While the reaction to his comments have been mixed, Alex Barth believes it’s not a bad thing to enable the third year quarterback. Are the Patriots wrong for enabling Mac Jones by letting him revert back to his college mindset? Barth and Joe Murray discussed:
GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN – AUGUST 19: Mac Jones #10 of the New England Patriots warms up before a preseason game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on August 19, 2023 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
Are the Patriots wrong for enabling Mac Jones? Alex Barth weighs in…
“This is a take a lot of people are not going to want to hear. You’re supposed to enable your quarterback. You are supposed to create an environment that is set up for your quarterback specifically to succeed. People like to use this as an, “oh, he can’t succeed unless you know the right piece around him.” So? What quarterback can’t? What quarterback are you going to put in a bad situation he’s suddenly going to be better than he is in a good situation? All your favorite quarterbacks, people love to drool about Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, they’re pretty good situations. Their teams put him in pretty good situations. That’s part of the reason they’re as good as they are. There’s a level of natural talent as well. And I’m not saying Mac is on the talent level of those guys, but this whole thing about, “well, who cares if it’s all falling down around him, he should make it work.” The quarterback that does that does not exist.
“Why should you want to go out of your way to have your quarterback in a system in an offense that doesn’t help him with teammates who don’t help him with guys who are bad? You want to try to build an environment that maximizes your quarterback. That’s “NFL Team Building 101.” The idea that a quarterback needing help around him, needing a scheme that’s tailored to him is a bad thing is an absolute fallacy. You don’t think the Ravens system is tailored to what Lamar Jackson does best? You don’t think the Bills system is tailored to what Josh Allen does best? They don’t get criticized for it because they’re good. But the point being, you don’t want to be fighting your own quarterback. You’ve lost the battle before it began if you do that. And that’s what they were doing last year. So if you want to say maybe they’re coddling him a little too much, I wouldn’t push back on that, but I would rather them coddle him a little too much than whatever last year was.”
12 Patriots who should take on bigger leadership roles in 2023
WR DeVante Parker
New England Patriots wide receiver DeVante Parker (Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports)
Parker shot up the list of leadership candidates after signing a three-year extension with the Patriots late last month. The deal is a glorified payday, heavy on incentives and designed to clear cap space for 2023 more than anything.
But Parker has a chance to be rewarded for just showing up and letting his performance on the field do the talking. Parker is a man of few words who would be more of a “lead by example” type, but if he can stay healthy and do his job, he’ll set the kind of example the Pats are looking for.
RB Rhamondre Stevenson
New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson (Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)
Stevenson doesn’t play the most important position on the field, but he’s one of the Patriots’ few true impact players on either side of the ball, and he’s another who can set a great example just by playing. His presence and his big playmaking in critical moments would help the offense gain confidence.
LB Ja’Whaun Bentley
New England Patriots linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. (Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)
Bentley is already established as one of the team’s defensive leaders, and now he’s set to rule the roost with McCourty gone. He should be considered a candidate to take on a more vocal presence, but he will most certainly become the No. 1 “coach on the field” for the defense, if he wasn’t already.
OG Cole Strange
New England Patriots guard Cole Strange (Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)
Strange doesn’t necessarily need to become the kind of leader that teammate David Andrews has become over the years. But this is a first-round pick entering his second season, which the team is hoping will be a big leap for him. That mainly includes playing better on the field, and Strange can establish himself more on the hierarchy of the team by simply being one of their best guys.
S Kyle Dugger
New England Patriots safety Kyle Dugger (Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports)
Dugger is entering the final year of his rookie contract and has a chance for a nice payday on his next deal. If that’s to come with the Patriots, Dugger may need to prove himself as the new leader of the secondary. Guys at other positions can fill the McCourty void in different ways, but specifically for the safeties, we’re looking for Dugger to become “that guy” more in 2023.
CB Jonathan Jones
New England Patriots cornerback Jonathan Jones (Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)
Realistically, the guy to really carry the torch from McCourty is Jonathan Jones, who is now the longest tenured defensive back on the Patriots. He sets a fine example with his versatility, work ethic, and competitiveness. It wouldn’t be shocking if he were the one to replace McCourty on the captains list.
C David Andrews
New England Patriots center David Andrews (Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports)
Andrews is already perhaps the top leader on the team, so he doesn’t need to change much. But one area where he could make up for the loss of McCourty is in his fiery pregame speeches and other vocal commands. Those will be missed, and Andrews seems like a candidate to take over.
S Adrian Phillips
New England Patriots safety Adrian Phillips (Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)
Phillips is a veteran in the room, and does his job and does it with class, like a classic Kraft-ian Patriot. His mere status as a vet in his 10th season should enable him to grow more as a locker room voice.
DT Davon Godchaux
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray scrambles away from New England Patriots defensive tackle Davon Godchaux during a game at State Farm Stadium. (Michael Chow-USA TODAY Sports)
Belichick has referred to Godchaux as one of the best defensive linemen in the league, he’s their highest-paid guy at his position, and Lawrence Guy could be on his way out. So it could be on Godchaux to take on more of a leadership role on the D-line, especially with young talents like Christian Barmore and Keion White who could follow his example.
LB Matthew Judon
New England Patriots linebacker Matthew Judon (Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports)
This may surprise you, but despite his larger-than-life personality, Matthew Judon considers himself more of a lead-by-example type within the team. He has deferred to Bentley as the true leader of the defense. But if anyone could be a natural at becoming more vocal and commanding in the locker room, it’s No. 9 in the red sleeves.
LB Josh Uche
New England Patriots linebacker Josh Uche (Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports)
Like Dugger, Uche is also entering a contract year, and because of the position he plays, he’s in line to earn himself a LOT of money. But that aside, Uche has carried himself the way Belichick likes to see with his players. He’s always committed himself to getting better and it’s really starting to pay off. If he can add leadership qualities to that, he’d become an extremely valuable piece for whoever’s willing to pay him.
