This former NFL head coach says Mac Jones isn’t to blame for the Patriots’ problems

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You can add Mike Martz to the list of former NFL coaches and quarterbacks who won’t blame quarterback Mac Jones for the Patriots’ problems in 2022.

Former St. Louis Rams head coach, Martz had a long football career as an offensive coach. He coached quarterbacks for the Rams and was also the offensive coordinator in St. Louis for the Greatest Show on Turf team that won the Super Bowl. He was also the play caller in Detroit, San Francisco and Chicago.

When Martz watched the Patriots lose to the Buffalo Bills last week, a few things stuck in his mind about the 10-point performance.

Mac Jones isn’t the problem in New England, Martz told the33rdteam.com. He’s a really good player. He made good throws. They have to do a better job of protecting him, changing the protections because they are not very good up front. They’re struggling to rush the football right now and free the guys one-on-one. It’s just starting to hit its stride much like you saw last week.

It was a tough fall for Jones and the Patriots offense. Their last in the NFL in red zone scoring (37.5%) and 25th in the league on third downs (36.18%). As Martz noted, the offensive line has been a problem. This year, the Patriots have allowed 39 sacks in 12 games. Last year, they allowed 36 sacks in 17 games. In 2020, they allowed 24 sacks in 16 contests.

Last year, Jones was fired on 5.1% of his comebacks. That number is up 8.5% this season.

Martz also took aim at the Patriots’ game last week. The team fell behind and never got enough momentum after a Marcus Jones touchdown in the first quarter. The Patriots have only converted 3 of 12 of their third conversions. Martz said the inexperience of the offensive coaching staff showed that.

In the past, they’ve been a little friendlier with the quarterback, allowing him to get the ball out quickly. They weren’t quite like that this game. They panicked a bit. What’s happening is a lesson for guys who haven’t called plays much, Martz said. When you fall behind, you tend to start looking for straws. You can not do this. You have to stick with it, be patient and do what you do well and not let that go. I think they started scrambling a little earlier than they needed to and putting pressure on their quarterback. They couldn’t protect him.

Ultimately, Martz said he saw a rebuilding Patriots team. He still thinks the future is bright for Jones and this team.

I know the fans are disappointed, but they’re not very good yet. They’re not as good as they will be next year, Martz said. It has been a long rebuilding process with their staff. I think where they are here in another year is going to be really good. It’s just not the year for them. This is simply not the case.

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