The 2023 season has gone off the rails for the New England Patriots. After Sunday’s 10-7 loss to the New York Giants, they are now 2-9 on the season, hurtling toward a top pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
That could be the outcome many Patriots fans are hoping for, as it would put the franchise in a position to select a franchise quarterback. That is something Mac Jones, a first-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, has proven not to be.
Jones was benched for the third time this season at halftime against the Giants. New England was shut out and Jones did nothing to help that, throwing two interceptions. The second, which was picked off by linebacker Bobby Okereke, led to an altercation on the sidelines.
Wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, who wasn’t even on the field at the time, got into a heated argument with wide receivers coach Troy Brown. It was a brutal play by Jones, who telegraphed his pass, leading to an easy turnover for Okereke to take advantage of.
“JuJu Smith-Schuster and Troy Brown just had a heated sideline exchange after that interception. Smith-Schuster then slammed his helmet, sat down for a moment, and got back up to plead his case to Hunter Henry,” Dakota Randall of NESN shared on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Smith-Schuster, who signed a three-year, $33 million deal in free agency to become the go-to receiver in the Patriots’ offense, has not had the impact he or the team had hoped he would. He has caught only 24 passes for 158 yards and one touchdown, placing him fifth, eighth and tied for third, respectively, on the team rankings.
It has certainly been a frustrating campaign for Smith-Schuster, who won a Super Bowl last season with the Kansas City Chiefs. After the game, he admitted that his emotions got the best of him and frustrations boiled over.
“It was just frustration of wanting to put points on the board. We had a great drive, we just didn’t finish. Just frustrated that had an opportunity to put points on the board and we didn’t,” he said post game.
That wasn’t the first time the Patriots have squandered points this season and it certainly wasn’t the last. With a chance to send the game to overtime, kicker Chad Ryland missed a 35-yard attempt to the left, kicking the ball into the stands.
It was a fitting end to what was another embarrassing performance by the team’s offense. Frustrating moments are sure to continue for Smith-Schuster and the entire unit as the Patriots have a massive quarterback issue that will continue holding their offense back.
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