Mac Jones 'believed' to have suffered high-ankle sprain, report says
FOXBORO -- The Patriots suffered a bad loss to the Ravens on the field on Sunday, and adding insult to injury, quarterback Mac Jones was hurt on his final play of the game.
Not only was Jones picked off for the third time of the day, but the quarterback got absolutely leveled by Calais Campbell after throwing the pass. Jones fell hard on his left leg, and limped off the field after the play.
He didn't even bother going to the blue medical tent, limping his way to the locker room as the Ravens put the finishing touches on a 37-26 win at Gillette Stadium.
X-rays on Jones' leg came back negative, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Rapoport and Tom Pelissero later reported that it's "believed" that Jones suffered a high-ankle sprain and will miss some time. That diagnosis won't be official until Jones undergoes an MRI on Monday.
If Jones has indeed suffered a high-ankle sprain, then a trip to injured reserve -- and missing a minimum of four games -- would certainly be the expectation.
Several teammates spoke of Jones' toughness after Sunday's loss.
"Mac is a hell of a quarterback," Matthew Judon said after the game. "We don't know what happened; we'll find out in the coming days. I'm riding with 10. Whether we play in the parking lot, we play at Gillette, whatever. I'm riding with him."
This is the second time this season that Jones will be dealing with an injury following a New England loss. After Week 1's defeat down in Miami, Jones had to get X-rays on his back and was not able to chat with reporters following the game.
He wasn't available to talk after Sunday's loss in Foxboro, either, as he underwent a litany of tests on his left leg. The team did say he will be available to the media on Monday, which could be a promising sign for his status going forward.
If Jones is sidelined with this injury, veteran Brian Hoyer would likely get the start when the Patriots pay a visit to the Green Bay Packers in Week 4. Anyone asked about Mac's status after the game preached the team's "Next Man Up" approach.
"He's a leader. He's a vet," DeVante Parker said of the 36-year-old Hoyer. "He knows the defenses. He's seen it all. If anything happens, he'll come out and do what he can to help the team."
Jones completed 22 of his 32 passes on Sunday for 231 yards and his three interceptions in Sunday's loss. He also ran for 31 yards and a touchdown on five rushes.
