Does Mac Jones get rattled? Patriots fans will love Kendrick Bourne’s answer originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Mac Jones gave his best performance as the New England Patriots‘ starting quarterback Sunday.
He completed 19 of 23 pass attempts for 198 yards with three touchdowns and zero interceptions in the Patriots’ dominant 45-7 win over the Cleveland Browns at Gillette Stadium.
Jones also made some of the best throws of his career, including a sweet touchdown pass to wide receiver Kendrick Bourne in the second quarter and a perfect over-the-shoulder throw to tight end Hunter Henry to pick up a first down in the third quarter.
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The rookie quarterback showed tremendous poise throughout the afternoon. Bourne was asked after the game if anything rattles Jones, and he gave a detailed response.
“Mac always looks poised. I don’t know what it is — he’s just driven a different way. He’s wired a different way,” Bourne explained. “He’s just relaxed. I think that’s how we all need to play. He’s not thinking about the next play, he’s not thinking about the last play. He’s thinking of the current play. That mindset can take you far in this league and I think he has it. It’s easy to dwell on the past and it’s easy to get caught up on what’s ahead. He’s good at just being in the moment and fixing what he has going on right there.
Bourne later added: “Mac is a leader, so we’re following him and he’s doing a great job.”
Jones has been the best rookie quarterback in the league this season. The longer he plays at this level, the more criticism the New York Jets and San Francisco 49ers will receive for passing on Jones with the No. 2 and No. 3 overall picks, respectively, in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Next up for Jones and the Patriots is a Week 11 matchup versus the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday night. It could be another huge game for Jones based on how much the Falcons defense struggled in a 43-3 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.