Patriots Legend Supports Mac Jones Reaction: ‘100 Percent’
FOXBORO — Former New England Patriots running back James White knows a thing or two about playing with passionate quarterbacks.
From six seasons alongside Tom Brady, to his final full season accepting the ball from Cam Newton, White is well aware of the emotion that inherently goes hand-in-hand with the position.
Therefore, it should come as no surprise that White was understanding of the frustrations shown by second-yard signal caller Mac Jones in the aftermath of the Pats 24-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Thursday night at Gillette Stadium.
During a Friday appearance on The Ringer’s “Off the Pike” podcast, White revealed that he could “obviously” relate to Jones’ sideline tirade. He also noted that such an outburst could be a sign that the team’s struggles run deeper than the heat of the moment.
“It’s definitely a problem, for sure, when your quarterback is coming to the sideline and he’s not necessarily agreeing with the play-calling, or the design of the plays that are being called,” White said. “There was definitely a whole lot of ‘quick game’ being called. Defenses after a while get a hold of what you’re doing. If you’re throwing slants and pop passes, they’re going to get a bead on it. Eventually, you’re going to have to switch it up a little bit and take some shots down the field.”
White has pretty much seen and done it all during his eight year career on a football field. Drafted by the Patriots in the fourth round (130 overall) of the 2014 NFL Draft, he became one of the most beloved and revered players in team history. Historically speaking, White is also one of the more highly-decorated all-time New England Patriots. The ex-Wisconsin Badger is a three-time Super Bowl Champion ((XLIX, LI, LIII), a four-time team captain and a member of both the All-2010’s team and the Patriots All-Dynasty Team.
Still, White’s lasting impression on the only professional franchise for which he played may be the determination and leadership he embodied each time he put on a uniform. Though it may be far too early to determine if any of the current crop of young Patriots has the ability to lead by example, White sees, in Jones, a desire to be better.
“I think what he was saying, obviously I agree with it. Maybe I wouldn’t have done it like him, but he’s the guy playing. He’s frustrated. I’m sure the entire offense is frustrated. It’s not just (Patricia). I think it’s the entire offense as a whole has been completely inconsistent aside from Rhamondre (Stevenson). He’s been the only consistent guy on that offense all year long.”
While Jones’ language may have been excessive, his dissatisfaction with the Patriots offensive output was understandable. Against the Bills in Week 13, New England once again demonstrated futility on third down, converting only 3 of 12 attempts. Even in their most well-intended efforts, several of Jones’ pass attempts hit their intended targets short of the first-down marker. With inadequate protection from the team’s offensive line, Jones had insufficient time to operate. As a result, he has had little-to-no choice but to take short-yardage check downs.
In order to provide his offense with a much-needed spark, Jones was hoping to take more shots downfield. When the play-calling continued to be in opposition to his wishes, Jones was visibly distraught.
White, however, recognizes that a moment, such as Jones’ expletive-laden rant on Thursday night, can serve as motivation. Despite having played alongside the Pats current starting quarterback for only three regular season games in 2021 (before announcing his retirement in August), the future Patriots Hall-of-Farmer believes that his longtime teammate, Tom Brady, would have reacted in nearly identical fashion, if faced with the same situation.
“One hundred percent,” White said if he believed in the similarities in both Brady’s and Jones’ emotions. “One hundred percent. For sure.”
Following a restful Sunday, Jones and the Pats will begin their preparations for Week 14. The team will travel to Glendale, AZ for a Monday Night Football matchup with the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on Dec. 12.
Follow Mike D’Abate on Twitter @mdabateNFL and Listen/Subscribe to his daily podcast: Locked On Patriots
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