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New England’s comeback attempt against the Indianapolis Colts was thwarted when quarterback Mac Jones threw an ugly interception to Indianapolis safety Julian Blackmon in the red zone late in the fourth quarter.
The Colts won 10-6, dropping the Patriots to 2-8, their worst record since 2000, head coach Bill Belichick’s first season in Foxboro. Prior to their game last week against the Commanders, discussions emerged about Belichick’s future with losses in Weeks 9 and 10. New England lost both games, but Belichick’s future shouldn’t be up for debate.
The same can’t be said of Jones, however, who’s reached the end of his rope with the Patriots and might not start another game for the franchise. The third-year quarterback was unimpressive against Indianapolis, finishing 15-of-20 for 170 yards and the back-breaking interception.
This season, he leads the league in interceptions (10) and, entering Week 10, had the worst completion percentage (64.8 percent) and passer rating (80.2) of his career.
After being benched in losses to the Cowboys and Saints, Jones was again taken out of the lineup against the Colts on the team’s two-minute drive with the game on the line. Backup Bailey Zappe handled that drive for the Patriots. That’s a telling sign that Jones might not have a starting job in New England after the team’s bye in Week 11.
The loss pushes the Patriots closer to a premium pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, where they could potentially pick Jones’ successor. They are only a half-game behind Carolina (1-8) and Arizona (1-8) for the No. 1 overall pick and should have plenty of intriguing options at quarterback from which to choose.
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