Mac Jones was basically Tom Brady in Week 1 of NFL season
BOSTON -- The weight placed on a quarterback's win-loss record is often a point of contention in the football world. Some fans and analysts dismiss the concept of a "quarterback win" entirely, while others see it as a useful tool, considering there's no position in team sports more essential to a team's success or failure than a football quarterback.
While opinions on the matter are sure to vary until the end of time, the Week 1 performances of two quarterbacks -- one the current Patriots quarterback, the other a former Patriots quarterback -- do kind of crystallize the matter quite succinctly.
On the one hand, there is Tom Brady, a winner in Dallas. On the other is Mac Jones, a loser in Miami.
Brady played his game on national television, on Sunday Night Football against the Dallas Cowboys. Jones performed in front of a smaller television audience, in a busy 1 p.m. time slot. And while the Bucs won their game by 16 points and the Patriots lost their game by 13 points, the play of the two quarterbacks was quite similar.
Strikingly so, in fact.
Brady and Jones differed ever so slightly in completions and pass attempts. Jones was 21-for-30, a 70 percent completion rate. Brady was 18-for-27, a 66.7 percent completion rate. But the differences more or less end there.
Jones threw for 213 yards. Brady threw for 212.
Mac had one touchdown pass. So did Tom.
Jones also threw a pick. As did Brady.
Jones succumbed to two sacks from the Dolphins' defense. Brady ... was likewise sacked twice by Dallas defenders. (A key difference: Jones coughed up the football on one sack, leading to a defensive touchdown for Miami.)
Taken together, Jones posted an 87.2 passer rating. Brady's was 87.3.
Mac Jones vs. Miami
21-for-30, 70%
213 yards
1 TD, 1 INT
2 sacks, loss of 20 yards
87.2 passer ratingTom Brady vs. Dallas
18-for-27, 66.7%
212 yards
1 TD, 1 INT
2 sacks, loss of 17 yards
87.3 passer rating
Now, what exactly does this mean? Well ... nothing.
Game situation obviously matters quite a bit, and Brady threw just four passes after his touchdown toss to Mike Evans in the third quarter, with the Bucs comfortably ahead 19-3. Whether Brady's poised for another incredible season or a ho-hum year can't really be gleaned from that showing, as his services were not needed on this particular night. Jones, on the other hand, threw nine passes in the fourth quarter, despite the Patriots possessing the football for just 4:38. (Jones added four completions and 64 passing yards during that desperation time for the Patriots.)
But hey, they stats are the stats. And look at that: they match. So for at least one Sunday, Mac Jones was essentially Tom Brady. How about that?