Mac Jones is once again defending his status as the Patriots starting quarterback.
The Patriots lost to the Raiders, 21-17, on Sunday, dropping a third straight game to fall to 1-5.
While questions about Jones’ abilities continued to swirl, the third-year signal-called preached patience.
“I’m confident,” he told reporters after the loss about being the right quarterback for the team. “I think that comes from years of experience and earning respect from people. I think I’ve done that. But once again, I’m trying to win every game that I play in and I’m not doing it. I just really want to focus on how I can bring these guys with me, how we can clean up the little things.”
Jones, a center of criticism for the Patriots’ offensive struggles, knows he must help put it all together.
“It takes all 11, and that’s important,” he said. “And to be the leader of that 11 is a lot of stress, but that’s why I play this game. I really want to win, and I’m doing a lot of things to do that during the week. But for whatever reason, it’s just not happening on Sunday.”
Despite his will to win, his latest performance was uninspiring.
Jones completed 24 of 33 pass attempts for 200 yards and one interception in the Week 6 loss, marking a third week in a row without a touchdown pass.
The 25-year-old has thrown five interceptions since his last touchdown pass during their only win this season against the Jets.
Jones was under a microscope in Las Vegas, with reports he’d be on a short leash. However, the 2021 first-round draft pick played all four quarters despite being benched their last two games before Sunday.
He has thrown for 1,208 yards on the season, connecting for five touchdowns and seven interceptions
The Patriots are now dead last in the AFC East, and their quarterback merry-go-round continues.
The team added Malik Cunningham to the roster on Saturday, seeing the hybrid quarterback/wide receiver get sacked once for a 5-yard loss in the fourth quarter.
Cunningham is the latest QB to find his way onto the New England roster, with Will Grier also on the depth chart behind Bailey Zappe.
Jones’ frustration is seemingly growing behind the scenes, as well, even if he isn’t saying it himself.
“No matter how good of cook you are, you cannot make garbage taste good,” a person close to Jones told Fox Sports after the Pats’ Week 5 loss to the Saints. “Even if it was not Mac at QB, what QB would want to play here under these conditions?”
