Tony Romo is usually known as a positive broadcaster, but he could not help but share his disdain for a particularly brutal interception from Mac Jones.
With the Patriots down 10-3 but driving against the Raiders in the second quarter Sunday, Jones rolled out and tried to extend the play.
He eventually targeted tight end Hunter Henry, but sailed the ball way over his head and directly into the arms of Raiders safety Trevon Moehrig-Woodard.
“I mean, Hunter Henry is open, and this is just a horrendous throw by Mac Jones,” Romo observed.
“I mean he’s had a couple this year he wants back, but this one is gonna be right up there — wide open Henry, and he just misses him as he’s moving out.”
The Patriots ultimately lost the game, 21-17, to fall to 1-5 in a season that does not have much hope left of being salvaged.
Jones has thrown five touchdowns and seven interceptions this season, and his grip on the starting quarterback job beyond this season is tenuous.
Nevertheless, after the game, Romo was not as down on Jones’ aggregate performance as he was in the immediate aftermath of the second-quarter interception.
“Mac Jones is better than what is being talked about or being shown,” Romo said, as covered by Boston.com. “Sometimes, the tape shows that he’s not playing well at times. I think the reason why he hasn’t been replaced is because he’s actually helping them have a chance to win more often than the opposite.”
Romo noted Jones’ struggles the past couple of weeks, too.
“These past two weeks were terrible, but when you look at it, these games come down to turnovers,” he continued.
“The turnover he had today is not OK, that is an indiscriminate throw with a guy wide open, and you can look back and say those are points. And at the end of it, you end up losing by just a little bit, I mean that could be the difference in the game.”