Ex-NFL HC Eric Mangini calls out Patriots QB Mac Jones for 'cheap plays'

Mac Jones is easily one of the most frustrating quarterbacks to watch on the field. Drafted 15th overall by the New England Patriots in 2021, he initially showed promise as Tom Brady's potential successor, returning the team to the playoffs after their first absence since 2008.

But then the "sophomore slump" occurred. Jones posted lesser numbers in almost every relevant passing category and missed a few games with an ankle sprain. During that time, then-rookie Bailey Zappe had a couple breakout performances, but they did not amount to much.

Then the Patriots lost their first two 2023 games - both at home. And even with a 15-10 win at the floundering New York Jets, someone is still not convinced that Jones will be the man in Foxboro barring major improvements.

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Eric Mangini thinks Mac Jones is not as good as he should be

One of the biggest critics of where Mac Jones currently stands is Eric Mangini, a former coach who won three Super Bowl titles in the 2000's as New England's defensive coordinator.

Currently an analyst at Fox Sports, he visited The Herd with Colin Cowherd and launched into this scathing critique of his former team's current quarterback:

"You've got everything aligned to help you be successful, and then you have a certain level of success. But when you take a step back, you think it's all you. You don't realize how lucky you were to be drafted there and how well it fit your skill set and who you are taking over for and that nobody cares about what you did at Alabama.

"The greatest player of all time put aside his ego year after year. And you think you're going to come in here with your little resume and your very little success and do that in this building? And with these cheap plays?

He continued:

"We were going to push and get advantages, but it wasn't going to be about hitting people in inappropriate places or cutting people."

For context, Mangini was referring to a series of dirty tactics by the quarterback, the first and most notorious being this blatant 2021 ankle grab on Panthers linebacker Brian Burns after a sack fumble:

He also had some questionable dives against defensive backs Jaquan Brisker and Eli Apple in 2022:

And recently, yet another defensive back, reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year Sauce Gardner, claimed Mac Jones hit him in the groin when they came to blows last Sunday:

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Mac Jones claims to know Patriots' biggest problem

After Mac Jones' surprisingly good rookie campaign, the New England Patriots, as stated before, have badly regressed since, and their quarterback may have identified the problem: too many small-yardage plays.

Jones told reporters on Wednesday:

“I love chunk plays. My whole career I’ve kind of thrived off those play-action and normal chunk plays. … I think we’ll hit them or we’re working on it. I’ve looked at other teams in the league and how they do it and kind of gotten a really good idea of, ‘How can I improve on it? How can we improve on it as a team?’”

Chunk plays are usually defined as either rushes of at least 15 yards or receptions of at least 20, the latter of which the Patriots have the fewest - just three, with a wide receiver catching it only once - Demario Douglas.

That component may be what they need more of to break through in a stacked AFC East.