Could it be that the New England Patriots and quarterback Mac Jones were a match made in heaven?
The six-time Super Bowl champions did not trade up to acquire the play-caller from Alabama.
The teams that went before either drafted other quarterbacks or selected players for different positions.
Jones is looking like the steal of the draft because he has more wins than the other rookie starters combined.
How did Mac Jones spend his Sunday?
Jones via @MerloniFauria: "The NFL Red Zone thing is pretty cool, so watching that was good. And then, just getting on my iPad (watching film).”
— Ryan Hannable (@RyanHannable) November 22, 2021
He is completing over 70 percent of his passes and has thrown 13 touchdowns by Week 12.
More importantly, the Patriots are on top of the AFC East with an 8-4 record.
His performance during New England’s six-game win streak got his support as a legitimate MVP contender.
While there’s a solid case to make him deserving of votes, naming him Most Valuable Player this season is a stretch.
Steady Competitor
It’s as if Jones isn’t a rookie quarterback because he stays composed throughout the game.
He maintains an even keel even if the defense is having success against his offensive line.
Jones shrugs off the previous play and proceeds to the next one.
His last three games are particularly impressive since he threw for six touchdowns and one interception.
Mac Jones: 123.2 passer rating in Week 12
1st among all QBs 🎯 pic.twitter.com/fj8Lj8y67g
— PFF (@PFF) November 29, 2021
More importantly, he completed 82.6 percent of his passes against the Cleveland Browns and 84.6 versus the Atlanta Falcons.
His completion percentage dropped to 71.9 percent against the Tennessee Titans, but he had his second 300-yard passing game in the NFL.
The 23-year-old quarterback has completed at least 70 percent of his passes in eight of the Patriots’ 12 games.
After 12 weeks, he has a 70.8 completion rate to go with 13 touchdowns.
But while those numbers are impressive, other factors are contributing to the team’s success.
Patriots Playing Old School Football
The case for Jones being MVP is stronger if he’s the primary reason for the Patriots’ wins.
But their run game and defense give significant contributions to their cause as well.
Damien Harris, Rhamondre Stevenson, and Brandon Bolden keep the chains moving by exploiting holes their offensive line creates.
The Patriots win if their backfield unit finishes with at least 100 rushing yards in a game.
'Mike's really tossing the bouquets…" Belichick says with a wide smile about Mike Vrabel praising the #Patriots run game (and everything else this week). #Patriots
— Mike Giardi (@MikeGiardi) November 26, 2021
They dominated the vaunted Browns run game, 184 yards to 99.
New England’s running backs finished with 134 yards against the Falcons and 105 versus the Titans.
However, Tennessee had 270 rushing yards in their loss but to no avail.
That’s where another essential element of the Patriots’ winning streak comes in: their suffocating defense.
It’s an anomaly to have a Bill Belichick team without a solid defensive unit, and this squad is no different.
.@Titans WR @ChesterRogers80 on the @Patriots defense. pic.twitter.com/FNh7XVRtP0
— Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) November 26, 2021
They are limiting opponents to 10.5 points per game during their win streak and gave up less than ten points in three of those games.
J.C. Jackson leads the secondary while Matthew Judon and Kyle Van Noy pace the linebackers.
Lawrence Guy, Deatrich Wise, and rookie Christian Barmore lead the push upfront.
The Verdict On Jones
Without a doubt, Jones contributes to the Patriots’ success.
But he’s not the main reason for their resurgence.
His situation is vastly different from last season’s Green Bay Packers, wherein Aaron Rodgers was the undeniable star of their offense.
Mac Jones is the Vegas favorite to win OROTY.
Tom Brady is the Vegas favorite to win MVP. pic.twitter.com/H8vKSzgWWc
— Young Boston™ (@YoungBostonTM) November 22, 2021
Davante Adams was excellent, but his numbers might take a hit without Rodgers.
Jones’ impact on the Patriots is not yet at the same level as Rodgers in Green Bay.
But if the rookie keeps it up, he will win his first MVP trophy sooner than later.
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