Everyone hits the wall at some point.
Mac Jones has been the best passing rookie of the 2021 NFL Draft by any measure or metric: While he started off short, the Patriots QB has grown into one of the best passers. more in the tournament in very short time. time.
However, in recent weeks, Jones seems to have encountered a rookie: After a 7-match winning streak, the Patriots QB have been involved in clashes in the last two games, losing to the Colts and Bills. He makes two touchdowns down to four interceptions and is exceptionally inaccurate, with a 51.95 completion rate in both games.
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While rookies hitting the wall is commonplace, former Patriots defender Matt Cassel provided a bit more context on why Jones might be struggling:
“There were times when I felt he was confused in his pocket. His foot was not set,” Cassel said on the Patriots’ post-match show. “So there’s this going on with his mechanics, his engineering. He’s a bit confused that he’s just missing some of these wide receivers.”
That certainly makes sense: Full-backs, especially young players, are often less able to resist pressure and blu blu, and that will be the case for Jones in 2021. Pro Football Focus has given him He has an overall passing score of 82.9 with a completion rate of 71.9% when he has a clean bag.
That number drops to 57.7 points and a 54.3 percent completion rate when he’s under pressure. That score is still good for 11th grade in the NFL, so it’s not as bad as it seems.
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A little more context, too: Jones plays pretty well in the face of blitz (scoring 69.7), so where he’s hurt the most is against a traditional four-man race.
Jones, a versatile pocket passer in the garden, has been prized for his footwork, pocket maneuvers and quick handling, but it turns out, putting pressure on him is key. to get rid of his mechanics, and thus, his game.
Can pressure on a midfielder affect him? Who knows?
