Why was Mac Jones benched? QB's struggles under Bill Belichick leave future uncertain with Patriots

Mac Jones has severely struggled so far during the 2023 NFL season, especially in the past two weeks. He has thrown two interceptions in each of those two games and has failed to surpass 150 passing yards in either of them, while also recording zero touchdowns.

This has resulted in him being benched for Bailey Zappe in the fourth quarter in two consecutive games.

The New England Patriots quarterback entered the season looking to bounce back after a disappointing 2022 campaign last year. Not only has he failed to do so, but he's arguably been even worse this year than he was the season before.

Bill Belichick has already benched him twice this year, so he could potentially be in danger of losing his job permanently.

How bad was Mac Jones last season?

QB Mac Jones

Following his promising rookie campaign during the 2021 NFL season, Mac Jones entered year two with high expectations. He failed to live up to them, putting together an extremely disappointing 2022 season.

In year two, he went from being the runner-up for the Offensive Rookie of the Year award to one of the worst overall quarterbacks in the entire NFL.

Jones' numbers regressed in just about every possible category, on his way to recording just 2,997 yards with 14 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.

His completion percentage dropped by two points and he also went from 92.5 to 84.8 passer rating. He ranked among the bottom-10 quarterbacks in both passer rating and interceptions.

After posting a solid 10-7 record during his rookie year and helping the New England Patriots make an appearance in the NFL Playoffs. He followed that up with a brutal 6-8 record in year two.

All of this contributed to why he desperately needed to bounce back during the 2023 NFL season, but that hasn't been the case so far. In five games so far, he has just five touchdowns and six interceptions while leading the Patriots to a 1-5 record.

Did Bill Belichick spoil Mac Jones’ growth in NFL?

Bill Belichick

In the offseason prior to the start of the 2022 NFL season, head coach Bill Belichick received a ton of criticism for choosing not to name a new offensive coordinator. He opted not to replace Josh McDaniels, who accepted the head coach position with the Las Vegas Raiders.

Belichick instead used a strange committee approach to the important role, and it's entirely possible that Mac Jones suffered from the instability of the situation. It's also reasonable to believe that the head coach recognized his mistake, as he quickly hired Bill O'Brien during the following offseason.

Unfortunately for the Patriots, the change hasn't yet resulted in any new progress for Jones. He continues to regress as an overall quarterback, putting his future in the position in serious jeopardy. Belichick's decisions may have contributed to permanently stunting the growth of his young quarterback prospect.

Can Mac Jones continue as a starting QB in NFL?

QB Mac Jones

The Patriots are currently in a tough spot for their quarterback position. Mac Jones showed a ton of promise during his rookie year, replacing Tom Brady, but has since seen his value plummet.

It may be time for them to get a real look at Bailey Zappe, who is actually younger than Jones and has been more efficient, though in a much smaller sample size.

While Zappe has appeared in just six games during his career so far, compared to Jones' 36 games, he has so far recorded a better completion percentage and passer rating. It may be worth giving him an extended look to see what they really have, before potentially entering the offseason in search of a new quarterback.

The Patriots appear on their way to a top-10 pick in the NFL Draft next year. So, they may want to fully evaluate Zappe before considering one of the top quarterback prospects in the class.

This would require benching Mac Jones, who also must make a decision on his fifth-year team option this coming offseason.