Blaming Patriots QB Mac Jones is 'Bull***!' Kirk Herbstreit Pro Bowl Prediction

If anyone knows what Mac Jones is capable of, it's probably Kirk Herbstreit.

As the lead gameday booth analyst for ESPN's college football coverage and Amazon Prime Video's "Thursday Night Football" package, perhaps no one has taken in more Jones action between his national championship treks at Alabama and the New England Patriots' more recent prime time affairs.

"I'm 1000% behind Mac Jones and without a doubt that offense will be much improved"@KirkHerbstreit #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/dIpmft6Xko
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) June 22, 2023

In the wake of gloomy forecasts concerning the Patriots' 2023 season, Herbstreit had nothing but optimism to offer on "The Pat McAfee Show" when asked what lies ahead in Jones' third year under the New England center.

“I’m not going to say they’re going to be the most improved offense and he’ll be the most improved quarterback,” Herbstreit told the hosts McAfee and A.J. Hawk. “But he’s going to be in the top three and, without a doubt, the Patriots are going to be among the top three most improved offenses."

“I’m 1,000 percent behind Mac Jones," he continued. "Of all the younger quarterbacks that have not had the opportunity to kind of prove their consistency and what they can offer, I’m telling you right now that Mac Jones is going to be a Pro Bowl-caliber quarterback in the very near future, whether it’s this year or in the next couple years. He’s that good.”

Jones does have a Pro Bowl nomination under his belt, having been invited to the all-star proceedings after guiding the Patriots to the 2021-22 postseason. Last season was seen as a major regression on his part, however, as the Patriots' offense sputtered and perhaps cost the team a spot on the AFC playoff bracket. Jones' season was partly marred by an ankle injury, one that cost him three starts.

The aforementioned pessimism from abroad has attacked the Patriots' receiving corps that welcomed in Mike Gesicki and JuJu Smith-Schuster, one that has more or less made a DeAndre Hopkins signing almost necessary.

So why is Herbstreit so confident about Jones' ability to recover in year three? He's enthused about other additions, though these wear headsets rather than helmets.

Criticizing Jones for his supposed sophomore slump, Herbstriet claims, is "bulls***," especially considering the Patriots' makeshift offensive plan that saw Joe Judge and Matt Patricia share de facto coordinator duties. Both have since been jettisoned in favor of Bill O'Brien, who spent the past two years at Jones' alma mater of Alabama.

“He was honestly the most impressive quarterback I’ve ever spoken to in college about what he sees and how his brain processes and how it fires,” Herbstreit declares. "I've me a break on what they were doing on offense last year. He had no chance. Not only did he not have weapons around him, but what they were doing schematically, he had no chance."

“(Now) you get Billy O’Brien, who is as good an offensive mind as there is to come in there and work with Mac Jones,” he continued. "I’m telling you right now, you’re gonna see a drastic change in what he’s doing as a quarterback, and what the Patriots are gonna be able to do on that side of the football."

"Get ready for a much-improved Patriots season this year.”

The Patriots will appear on Herbstreit's TNF dwelling this holiday season, as they'll open Week 14 in Pittsburgh.

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

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