FOXBORO, Mass. — When you’re as bad as the Patriots are, one little mistake can come back to haunt you, regardless of how early in the game it happens.
Mac Jones’ early fourth-down incompletion to Tyquan Thornton falls in that category.
New England made it to the Commanders’ 39-yard line on its first drive of Sunday’s game at Gillette Stadium. Thornton got wide open on fourth-and-3, but Jones overthrew the second-year receiver, who would’ve benefited from a big-play confidence boost.
A conversation would’ve given the Patriots a key first down, and Thornton might’ve run in for a touchdown. Instead, Washington got the ball back, built a 10-0 and New England never could play the game on its terms — despite holding a 14-10 halftime lead. The Patriots went on to lose 20-17 in dispiriting fashion.
Jones blamed himself when asked about the play during his postgame news conference.
“Yeah, he was like my third or fourth read and I just missed him,” said Jones, who struggled in defeat. ” … I had time in the pocket. I stepped up. I had good feet. I just missed the throw. Maybe put a little bit more air on it. Yeah, that’s a big, big play early in the game.”
You could make excuses for Jones. You could point toward Thornton neither playing well nor much at all since entering the NFL. He and Jones clearly don’t have great chemistry.
All of that would be fair. But the reality is good quarterbacks complete passes to wide-open receivers in big spots. And Jones failed to do it.
He and Thornton will look for better results next Sunday when the Patriots “host” the Indianapolis Colts in Frankfurt, Germany.
