Patriots HC Bill Belichick defends QB Mac Jones after benching

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick defended Mac Jones multiple times on Monday less than 24 hours after Belichick benched the struggling quarterback during what became Sunday's 38-3 loss at the Dallas Cowboys. 

"Sometimes you’re just trying to make a play and then regret it afterwards," Belichick said about Jones during a Monday appearance on local sports radio station WEEI, per Hayden Bird of Boston.com. "Every quarterback’s thrown interceptions, every quarterback’s made bad decisions, so has every coach and every player that’s ever played, so we just have to make more good [decisions] and find more consistency in our execution, especially offensively." 

Jones tossed a pair of interceptions and had both a pick and a fumble returned for touchdowns before he was mercifully replaced by Bailey Zappe in the third quarter of Sunday's blowout. Belichick said following the loss that Jones will start when the 1-3 Patriots host the 2-2 New Orleans Saints this Sunday and again backed the 25-year-old during a Monday video call. 

"Well, I mean, everything gets highlighted by one or two plays, one way or another," Belichick added about Jones, according to Patriots beat reporter Dakota Randall of NESN. "In general, I think he makes pretty good decisions. He sees things well. But obviously, as a team, we can’t win turning the ball over three times in a game, two for touchdowns. We’ve got to do a better job of that. That’s everybody’s responsibility. The quarterback’s part of it. So is everybody else." 

Belichick and company hoped Jones would bounce back from a rough 2022 season after the signal-caller was given a "fresh start" working with offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien, but O'Brien hasn't yet gotten the best out of the 2021 first-round draft pick. As shared by ESPN stats, Jones entered Monday evening ranked 25th in the NFL among qualified quarterbacks with a 44.8 adjusted QBR and an 80.8 passer rating on the season. Across the campaign's first four games, Jones recorded five touchdown passes and four interceptions. 

The Patriots must exercise or decline the fifth-year option attached to Jones's rookie contract next spring but first need to see if he's their best option at the position after Week 5. If he fails to impress against New Orleans, "Zappe Hour" talk could again hover over the organization for a second consecutive fall.