Toucher & Rich: Mike Giardi on Patriots teammates’ concerns over Mac Jones’ dirty plays
During his appearance on Toucher & Rich, Mike Giardi from Boston Sports Journal discussed New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones and how some of his teammates apparently confronted him about his…

Oct 1, 2023; Arlington, Texas, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones (10) looks on from the bench during the second half against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
During his appearance on Toucher & Rich, Mike Giardi from Boston Sports Journal discussed New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones and how some of his teammates apparently confronted him about his questionable plays from the previous season, warning him about the potential consequences and reputation damage.
Richard Rodriguez/Getty ImagesARLINGTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 01: Mac Jones #10 of the New England Patriots attempts a pass during the second quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on October 01, 2023 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images)
Giardi mentions a specific play where Jones made an unnecessary and potentially dangerous hit on Bengals cornerback Eli Apple, which upset his teammates. They also touch on the idea that if a quarterback is seen as dirty, opponents may take liberties with him.
"Some of the veteran guys on the team, they talk all the time in the league about players having to. 'The teams don't care about us, the team doctors; we have to take care of each other.' That was an instance where they're like, 'Dude, that's a dirty play. You could have wrecked the guy's season or career.' Like, who knows what happens there if you catch them the wrong way? The knee goes backward and blows your patellar tendon and your ACL. To your point, there does become that, 'Well, your quarterback's dirty. So, you know, maybe I take liberties with you, or maybe I take liberties with him.' Yeah. If he's playing well and someone gets to the bottom of the pile and decides they want to twist his hand one way and break his finger, like, you kind of earned it."
Additionally, Giardi points out a clean hit on Jones during a game against the Cowboys, where no one came to his defense.
"There was a play in the game against the Cowboys. Mac scrambles starts to slide and a defensive player pops him. I mean it's a good good hit. Nobody did anything. And it was a clean play. Wasn't a dirty play by the defensive back. That's the kind of thing where somebody comes over like, 'dude get off my guy, you can't hit my guy like that.' Nothing."
Jones is known for playing on the edge, sometimes crossing the line. After a questionable play involving Panthers' Brian Burns in his rookie season, he had three incidents in 2022 and one in 2023 that made people question his fair play.
Most recently, he was accused of hitting Jets' Sauce Gardner inappropriately during a Week 3 win.
In Sunday's game against the Dallas Cowboys, Mac Jones was benched with Bailey Zappe during the third quarter. At the time of his benching, Jones had completed just 12 of 21 passes and turned the ball over three times. The score was heavily skewed in favor of Dallas at 31-3, and the final result was 38-3, indicating that the change to Zappe didn't significantly improve the situation.
The 35-point loss marked the largest defeat in Bill Belichick's coaching career, and the Patriots have only managed to score 55 points in their first four games this season, which is the lowest since Belichick's inaugural year with the team in 2000.
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Nick Gemelli is a Producer for the Toucher and Rich program and contributor for 985thesportshub.com. you can follow Nick at @NickGemelli on Twitter.
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The definitive list of places to get a roast beef sandwich in Massachusetts
(Editor's note: This article has been update from the original.)
In Massachusetts, specifically and especially in the North Shore, roast beef sandwiches are deeply ingrained in the culture. The options are abundant when it comes to toppings. Whether you prefer yours with cheese and slathered in barbecue sauce (3-way) or with nothing at all. When you’re looking for a hearty and robust sandwich, the North Shore has it locked down.
Modern Butcher
NNB Rating: 9.7
Address: 36 Maple St, Danvers, MA 01923
Contact: (978) 750-9829
Web: https://themodernbutchershop.com/
Bella's North Andover
NNB Rating: 9.6
Address: 1211 Osgood St, North Andover, MA 01845
Contact: (978) 258-1123
Web: bellasna.com
Londi's North Andover
Rating: 9.4
Address: 350 Winthrop Ave, North Andover, MA 01845
Contact: (978) 737-9099
Pete's Woburn
Rating: 9.3
Address: 100 A Winn St, Woburn, MA 01801
Contact: (781) 935-8879
Web: petesroastbeef.com
Anthony's Tewksbury
Rating: 9.03
Address: 1921 Main St, Tewksbury, MA 01876
Contact: (978) 455-2482
George & Leon's Maine
Rating: 9.01
Address: 9 Cumberland St, Westbrook, ME 04092
Contact: (207) 591-0280
Tessi's Tewksbury
Rating: 8.98
Address: 910 Andover St, Tewksbury, MA 01876
Contact: (978) 851-8700
110 Bradford
Rating: 8.995
Address: 691 S Main St, Haverhill, MA 01835
Contact: (978) 521-0232
Hap's Portsmouth NH
Rating: 8.95
Address: 2222 Lafayette Rd Unit A, Portsmouth, NH 03801
Contact: (603) 373-8455
Tostimo's Seabrook
Rating: 8.91
Address: 380 Lafayette Rd #6, Seabrook, NH 03874
Contact: (603) 814-1260
Geo's Amesbury
Rating: 8.88
Address: 143 Elm St, Amesbury, MA 01913
Contact: (978) 834-5902
Anthony's Methuen
Rating: 8.86
Address: 1111 Riverside Dr, Methuen, MA 01844
Contact: (978) 655-1400
Niki's North Andover
Rating: 8.73
Address: 208 Sutton St, North Andover, MA 01845
Contact: (978) 258-1355
110 Amesbury
Rating: 8.729
Address: 66 1/2 Haverhill Rd, Amesbury, MA 01913
Contact: (978) 388-3800
Web: rt110roastbeef.com
Anthony's Reading
Rating: 8.67
Address: 216 Main St, Reading, MA 01867
Contact: (781) 942-0100
Jamie's
Rating: 8.66
Address: 44 Margin St, Peabody, MA 01960
Contact: (978) 531-9942
Web: jamiesroastbeef.com
Rizzo’s Lowell
Rating: 8.6
Address: 131 E Merrimack St, Lowell, MA 01852
Contact: (978) 770-0664
Rizzo's Salem
Rating: 8.46
Address: 7 Paradise Rd, Salem, MA 01970
Contact: (978) 745-2524
Rockport House of Pizza
Rating: 8.49
Address: 19 Broadway Ave, Rockport, MA 01966
Contact: (978) 546-6066
Zeno's
Rating: 8.38
Address: 40 Central St, Ipswich, MA 01938
Contact: (978) 312-1497
Supreme Danvers
Address: 18 Maple St, Danvers, MA 01923
Contact: (978) 777-0606
Ramzi's Peabody
Address: 139 Lynnfield St, Peabody, MA 01960
Contact: (978) 871-2111
Nick's Pizza Beverly
Address: Address: 207 Essex St, Beverly, MA 01915
Contact: (978) 720-8972
Atha's Peabody
Address: 10 Sylvan St, Peabody, MA 01960
Contact: (978) 536-9915
Web: athastogo.com
Beefie Boys Truck
Address: The road
Mark's Wellesley
Address: 12c Washington St, Wellesley Hills, MA 02481
Contact: (781) 237-3850





