The Patriots' Mac Jones attempt ended in disaster and a trade, and the Jaguars' comeback attempt didn't get off to a good start either.
Jones played in the fourth quarter of Jacksonville's loss to the Bills on Monday and fumbled on the third snap, the ball popped out and the Buffalo defense sacked the former first-round draft pick.
Casey Toohill recovered the ball and three snaps later, Ray Davis raced into the end zone from the 3-yard line to give the Bills a 47-10 lead and the final score of a dominant “Monday Night Football” victory at Highmark Stadium.
In what was perhaps a fleeting glimpse into his development since arriving in Jacksonville, Jones completed 5-of-8 passes for 22 yards after Jacksonville missed Lawrence the same way Buffalo missed quarterback Josh Allen as the Jaguars struggled.
The Patriots sent Jones, their first-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, to the Jaguars in exchange for a sixth-round pick in March, ending his three-season tenure as New England's starting quarterback.
Jones was selected to the Pro Bowl after throwing for 3,801 yards, 22 touchdowns and 13 interceptions as a rookie in 2021, but he ended up with just 24 touchdowns and 23 interceptions over the next two seasons as the Patriots and then-head coach Bill Belichick used backup Bailey Zappe.
Upon arriving in Jacksonville, Jones said his tenure with the Patriots provided “a lot of great learning experiences” and described his opportunity with the Jaguars as Lawrence's backup as they compete for the AFC South title as a chance to “get the train back on the tracks and moving in the right direction.”
“Obviously, we have mutually decided that separating is the best decision for both of us,” Jones said. He told reporters in March“For me, it was just about moving on and going home. I couldn't be more excited. And for them, it's about moving on and turning a new page.”
In three preseason games, Jones completed 38 of 52 passes for 421 yards and three touchdowns.
But Jones, playing his first regular-season cameo in the midst of a blowout win that all but sealed the Jaguars' 0-3 start, was unable to repeat his preseason brilliance.
