The Patriots’ Mac Jones experiment ended in a disaster and a trade, and the Jaguars’ attempt at a revival didn’t get off to a promising start, either.
Jones entered during the fourth quarter of Jacksonville’s loss to the Bills on Monday and fumbled on his third snap, with the ball popping out as Buffalo’s defense sacked the former first-round pick.
Casey Toohill recovered the ball, and three snaps later, Ray Davis plunged into the end zone from the 3-yard line to give the Bills a 47-10 lead that served as the final score in the “Monday Night Football” rout at Highmark Stadium.
Jones, in what’s likely a fleeting window to flash his growth since arriving in Jacksonville, finished 5-of-8 for 22 yards after Jacksonville removed Lawrence — like Buffalo removed quarterback Josh Allen — with the Jaguars spiraling.
The Patriots sent Jones — their first-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft — to the Jaguars in March in exchange for a sixth-round pick, ending his stint as New England’s starting quarterback after three full seasons.
He made the Pro Bowl as a rookie in 2021 after throwing for 3,801 yards, 22 touchdowns and 13 interceptions, but Jones managed just 24 touchdowns and 23 interceptions across his next two seasons as the Patriots — and then-head coach Bill Belichick — turned to backup Bailey Zappe at times.
After arriving in Jacksonville, Jones said his Patriots stint contained “a lot of great learning experiences,” and he described the opportunity with the Jaguars, where he’d serve as Lawrence’s backup on a roster that’d contend for the AFC South title, as one to “get the train back on the tracks and get it moving in the right direction.”
“Obviously, we kind of decided the mutual parting of ways was the best decision for both of us,” Jones told reporters in March, “and for me, it was just about moving on and getting back home. And I can’t be more excited. And for them, it’s about moving forward and turning the page.”
In three preseason appearances, Jones completed 38-of-52 passes for 421 yards and three touchdowns.
But when his first regular season cameo arrived, in the middle of a blowout game and the Jaguars’ 0-3 start all but secured, Jones couldn’t replicate those preseason flashes.
