Mac Jones – Everett Leader Herald

Patriots Drop Regular-Season Finale, Limp Into Playoffs

By Lorenzo Recupero

The New England Patriots finished the regular-season with a winning record, but how they look entering the postseason is hardly ideal.

Sunday’s nagging 33-24 loss to the Miami Dolphins had some playoff-seeding implications and the Patriots didn’t help themselves with a lackluster performance defensively, as the Dolphins (9-8) racked up 195 yards on the ground and nearly doubled the scoring output allowed per game (17.83 points) by the Pats. The offense and rookie quarterback Mac Jones arguably could be held more at fault for the loss, though, with 3 turnovers (interception, 2 fumbles).

The loss pushed the Patriots from the 5th to the 6th seed, which really made things more difficult. If the Pats won Sunday, they would be meeting the untested, rookie-led Bengals in the playoffs but instead they will meet Buffalo, the AFC East champions the past two seasons.

Furthermore, the Patriots opened and closed the season with a loss to the Dolphins for the first time since pre-TB12 and dynasty days, handing Miami their first regular-season sweep of the team since 2000.

Merry Christmas to Mac Jones

Patriot’s quarterback Mac Jones is a Christmas present supreme for New England sports fans.

His presence allows the Pat’s to strive for another Super Bowl appearance, something we could not have imagined last year.

Mac Jones is in a position that former Red Sox great Carl Yastremski can well understand.

How so?

When Ted Williams retired, Yastremski took over the baseball legend’s left field position and number 3 place in the batting line-up.

Can you imagine replacing Ted Williams?

I can’t.

How do you replace who was arguably the greatest hitter in baseball history and the last player to bat over .400 – a record very likely never to be broken?

It is something easier said than done.

Yastremski’s first year was like Mac Jones first year.

On second thought

Maybe the Patriots will have a good year after all with their new and talented young quarterback, Mac Jones.

Jones was a great college star at Alabama who set national passing records for one of the great college football teams in America.

That means something as he takes over the leadership position with the Patriots.

Mac Jones is not Tom Brady. There is, after all, only one GOAT.

But Mac Jones has 25 years on Brady.

He is at the start of his run. Brady is coming to the end of his run.

This is fact, not fiction.