FOXBORO, Mass ( Associated Press) — Mac Jones has never hidden the fact that he’s a perfectionist.
His fervent desire to be well for all fits well with the attention-to-detail culture of the New England Patriots.
After two days of practice in protective gear, in which the offense is struggling as it tries to establish a new, agile style, it’s no surprise to see Jones frustrated.
He admitted that it is not easy to be patient at this time.
“I care a lot about (American) football like everyone else. It is very competitive. When we lose a day it’s like a punch in the stomach,” Jones said Tuesday. “There’s so much to train, we’re here to learn. But at the end of the day we are competing and the goal is to play better than the other teams.”
After a rough day for the offense on Saturday, Jones immediately walked off the field and into the locker room.
It hasn’t gotten any better since he started wearing protection this week. Receivers have struggled to find places, running backs haven’t been able to find the best runs, and the offense consistently fails to provide protection for their quarterbacks.
This has forced Jones to fight.
“I think we can compete more and better. A lot of it is about executing strategy and finding ways to communicate,” Jones said. “There will be better days ahead, but we are at the beginning and we have to keep going. Take it day by day.”
Everything is not bad.
On Tuesday, during a play, Jones successfully threw the ball between two defenders and into the hands of wide receiver Nelson Agholor for a touchdown. It was the latest dominant game in a productive camp for Agholor, who struggled in his first year with New England.
“Mack did a great job giving me a chance,” Agholor said of the catch.
Jones has learned to help himself through the ups and downs of his rookie season as the offense continues to make adjustments.
Last season, Jones said that he was given the freedom to change plays based on what he had seen before each action.
He still has to work out when to take those liberties after a series of off-season changes. Meanwhile, he is leaning into the personal routine that made his new year successful.
“Obviously when the games come, he will come,” Jones said. “But at the moment it’s just focusing on each day and figuring out what we can do better, talking about it and coming up with a plan.”
