New England Patriots

When will New England Patriots QB Mac Jones start throwing deep?

Updated Sep. 22, 2021 9:09 a.m. ET

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New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones is taking some heat after another conservative outing in Week 2 that has fans wondering: Why won't the rookie throw downfield?

In the Patriots' 25-6 win over the New York Jets on Sunday, Jones' plays consisted mostly of screens and short passes, similar to his Week 1 showing against the Miami Dolphins.

The first-round draft pick has completed 73.9% of his passes (51-of-69) through two games, good for sixth in the NFL among qualified QBs, and he is averaging 6.8 yards per attempt. His longest pass is 32 yards.

What's more, Jones is averaging just 5.6 air yards per attempt, the fifth-lowest mark in the league, per Next Gen Stats. The 23-year-old rookie has also been one of the most conservative QBs in the league on throws of 10-plus air yards, with 15 attempts, 2.78 seconds average time to throw and 16.5 air yards per attempt (all bottom 10).

The Patriots currently rank 29th with just 180 air yards in their first two games.

On Monday's "Merloni And Fauria," Jones said he is committed to playing turnover-free football and hasn't passed up chances to push the ball downfield, despite the growing narrative that he's afraid to throw the deep ball.

"When you look at turnover statistics, the team that turns the ball over less usually wins," Jones said. "As long as you're ending every possession in a kick, then things will be moving in the right direction. That's always what I've been taught.

"But I think there may be some things I can adjust, and I will do that and just listen to the feedback that I get. Obviously, in college, it's a completely different game. It's different here in the NFL, and you kind of just have to play possession football and try to stick to your rules and throw to the open guy. It shouldn't be that confusing or complicated.

"I feel like you take three or four plays or whatever it may be, whether it's in practice or a game, and you say, 'OK, I could have probably thrown that one.' But at the end of the day, it's about taking what the defense gives you. If they give you the deep shot, then take it. If they give you the short, then take the short. It's kind of what the defense is doing, really."

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On Tuesday, Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels chimed in, saying that he hasn't limited his playcalling through two weeks and doesn't feel pressured to call more aggressive plays for Jones.

"I think there's also the balance of the timing of the game, the score, the situation. You're weighing risk or reward," he said. "There's an important balance between closing your eyes and heaving it deep when it's not there."

Nick Wright isn't buying it. On Tuesday's "First Things First," Wright said Jones needs to take more shots downfield if the Patriots hope to make it to the playoffs and beyond this season.

"Not only are [the Patriots] making him order off the kids' menu, they’re cutting up his food for him and setting it in his mouth like a baby bird," Wright said. "Week 1 he at least — a few times — pushed it downfield. Week 2? Nope. Check, check, check, check, check, check, check.

"If [the Patriots'] goal is to simply eke out wins, fine. That's the offense you should have been running if you signed Teddy Bridgewater. If your goal is to develop a quarterback, this is not the process for it."

No matter the deal, the No. 15 overall pick will likely have to start stretching the field when the New Orleans Saints roll into New England on Sunday and then in Week 4 against the reigning champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Only time will tell if Jones will start to launch it down field or if the rookie will stick to his conservative ways — which, for the record, seem to be working out in his favor so far. 

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