Few expected Mac Jones to open the season as a starter for the Patriots. The 15th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft always seems likely to start the season behind Cam Newton and potentially overtake the season veteran if Newton has problems again.
However, Jones was able to beat Newton to get the job started. As a result, he became only the Patriots’ fourth Week 1 starter since 2002, joining the shortlist of Newton, Jimmy Garoppolo and Tom Brady.
The Patriots hope that Jones can fill the void following Brady’s departure. The rookie has played well so far, and his rookie year compares favorably to Brady’s first season as a major starter.
Look, before we get too deep into this, it’s important to note that we’re not comparing Jones as a player to Brady. It is – and I cannot stress this enough – how, how, Street It’s too early to compare a player who has started 10 games with a quarterback who is in his 22nd season and is the greatest quarterback in NFL history.
That said, it’s interesting to see each passerby as a first-year beginner, as it helps paint a picture of what Bill Belichick was looking for when starting out. And it’s clear from the numbers that Belichick wants a player who can manage the game effectively, avoid making mistakes and take enough turns to maintain a well-planned attack.
Obviously, Brady has become significantly more than that. Only time will tell whether Jones can come close to that ascension.
But for now, here’s a look at how Mac Jones played in his first season with the Patriots, and how it fits into the final first-year starter that the Patriots tapped to lead them. 20 years ago, Tom Brady.
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Mac Jones 2021 Stats
Mac Jones has had a successful start to his rookie season. Over 10 games, he recorded a 6-4 record as a starter, good for the best market among rookies, and completed even 69% of his passes. That also tops all the starters.
Here are his stats, and how he compares to other starting midfielders and rookies, across the league.
| Statistics | Total | League Ranking | Rookie class |
| Complete | 223 | 8th | Day 1 |
| Efforts | 323 | Day 11 | 2nd |
| Percent complete | 69 | 4th | Day 1 |
| Horizontal pass | 2.333 | Day 14 | Day 1 |
| Number of cards per try | 7.2 | T-17 | Day 1 |
| Overcoming TDs | 13 | T-17 | Day 1 |
| Interceptor | 7 | T-15 | 4th |
Jones’ numbers are certainly impressive, especially his accuracy. The fact that he has the fourth fewest interceptions among rookies despite trying to make the second most passes behind only Trevor Lawrence is also a welcome addition to the young midfield squad.
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Tom Brady’s First Season as a Beginner
Brady started for much of the 2001 season after replacing the injured Drew Bledsoe. He played 15 games that season and started 14 of them.
Brady led the Patriots to a 11-3 record in his 14 starts and could, of course, help the Patriots win their first Super Bowl victory over the Rams. Thus began the Patriots dynasty.
Here are Brady’s numbers from his first season in 14 regular-season starts.
| Statistics | Total |
| Complete | 259 |
| Efforts | 403 |
| Percent complete | 64.3 |
| Horizontal pass | 2.797 |
| Number of cards per try | 6.9 |
| Overcoming TDs | 18 |
| Interceptor | twelfth |
Basically, Brady was solid but underrated for the Patriots during his rookie season, but that’s all he needs to be. He let the team’s defense do a lot of the work while he focused on leading the line and avoiding mistakes. That’s part of the reason why he’s scored just 572 yards of passes, one touchdown and one interception in three playoffs.
The numbers won’t disappoint, but Brady has had a productive rookie season. And on closer inspection, it’s similar to Jones’, although Jones’ production has outpaced Brady’s by a bit up to this point.
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Mac Jones versus Tom Brady in a 16-game season
Since Brady started 14 regular games of the season as a rookie and Jones only played 10 before starting the Falcons game on “Thursday Night Football,” the only way to really compare Comparing each person’s rookie season is extrapolating their numbers over a full season.
Therefore, we chose to look at both over the course of 16 games of the season; We could have done it in a 17-game season, but a 16-game season has given us more rounded numbers.
Here’s a look at how each of them started their first year playing against the Patriots.
| Statistics | Total of Jones | Brady’s Total |
| Complete | 357 | 296 |
| Efforts | 517 | 461 |
| Percent complete | 69 | 64.3 |
| Horizontal pass | 3,733 | 3.197 |
| Number of cards per try | 7.2 | 6.9 |
| Overcoming TDs | 21 | 21 |
| Interceptor | 11 | 14 |
As you’ll notice, the overall numbers are pretty much the same, with each forecast for the same total number of touches. Jones’ rating is slightly better, as he is completing a higher percentage of his passes and averaging more per attempt with fewer redirects.
That said, the difference in passing yards could be explained by a more cheerful NFL, so that total number of yards is close enough considering the larger league ecosystem. And it’s worth noting that both have the same TD throw speed even though Brady tries to pass 56 times less than Jones. Of course, he also throws out more interceptions with fewer attempts, to balance himself a bit.
What does all this mean? Essentially, Jones’ rookie season compares favorably to Brady’s first year as a starter. Jones will continue to establish himself as a solid starter if he continues at this pace, but his real test will be how he performs as more is demanded of him. Future.
