WATCH: Ex New England Patriots' Jack Jones Pick 6 in Las Vegas Raiders' Record Rout of Los Angeles Chargers
The troubled part of Jack Jones got him a ticket out of Foxboro. The talented part showed up Thursday night and put him in the end zone.
As if the New England Patriots needed any more reminders about the depths of their disastrous season, Jones flashed his skills in prime time with a leaping, one-hand interception and returning it 16 yards for a touchdown for his new team, the Las Vegas Raiders. Jones' score gave the 6-8 Raiders a 55-point lead over the Los Angeles Chargers in a game they went on to win, 63-21.
“Oh, baby,” play-by-play announcer Al Michaels said on the Amazon Prime Video broadcast. “Unbelievable!"
The 63 points are the most in Raiders' franchise history. A sign of New England's sad-sack season: The Pats failed to score against the same Chargers' defense on Dec. 3 at Gillette Stadium, losing 6-0.
In the rout former Patriots receiver Jakobi Meyers both caught and threw a touchdown, joining Hall of Famer Marcus Allen (1983) as the only players in Raiders’ to accomplish the feat.
A fourth-round pick by the Pats in 2022, Jones flashed his potential as a rookie in a Pick 6 of Aaron Rodgers at Lambeau Field. But he was suspended the final two games of last season while on injured reserve, and last Summer was arrested for carrying a gun into Boston's Logan Airport. This season his performance dipped, and coach Bill Belichick became increasingly frustrated with Jones' lazy work ethic. Jones reportedly missed a team curfew before the game against the Commanders Nov. 5 and was cut eight days later.
Former Patriots draft choice Jack Jones scored on a Pick 6 in the Raiders' rout of the Chargers Thursday night.
Explained Belichick, "Felt like it was time to move on."
Said Jones upon signing with the Raiders a few days later, "I would say it wasn't the best fit."
Jones seems more at home with the Raiders where he has been reunited with Antonio Pierce, who coached him at Long Beach Poly High School and later served as his collegiate defensive coach at Arizona State. Pierce is Las Vegas' interim coach after the firing of head coach Josh McDaniels in early November.
The Patriots scored five defensive touchdowns last season. But they have none this year and they enter Sunday's home game against the Chiefs with a 3-10 record and already eliminated from the playoffs.
