Originally posted by Dshearn:
This will be an interesting year for Mac Jones, and for trends.
I have always been a "sit a year" guy when it comes to QBs. First pick in the draft, sit the dude. Primarily because once the grace period wears off, there is no putting the bad press back in the box. Bad play, and bad press put QBs out of the NFL. Getting picked high in the draft and stinking seldom works out in the NFL. Bill Walsh referenced this often with Steve Young, it just makes sense to give the face of the franchise as many tools to work with as possible.
Trey got to sit, Mac had to start.
Then we look at the Change of OC. Defensive Coach versus Offensive coach. We watched Nolan destroy Alex Smith right before our eyes, and watched Rodgers have continuity in his career until he was a very solid vet.
Smith had less pressure and was more mature, both in a professional sense and life choices then Mac is. Alot of us thought that changing OCs would crater Smith (and got murdered for saying as much.) That is before you add in expectations... Mac has NE levels of pressure. That is a team that has not missed the playoffs consistently in a very long time. It will be very interesting to watch how Mac adapts to an OC change.
Maybe Belichick's long tenor in the NFL will stabilize the team, and it will not be an issue... but if I was a NE fan I would be worried.
I don't know what is going to happen and I hope Mac does well, but from my 40 or so years of watching the NFL, Mac is going to have to beat the odds. I would much.... MUCH rather be in Trey Lances' shoes.
Most likely it's going to be issue. Belichick has really convinced himself he can just plug in anyone as the OC.
