Mac Jones on Loss in Patriots Debut: 'It Wasn't Good Enough, Starting with Me'

New England Patriots rookie Mac Jones held himself accountable following a 17-16 defeat to the Miami Dolphins in his NFL debut.

"We can get better," he told reporters after the game. "It definitely wasn’t good enough, starting with me."

While his comments indicate otherwise, Jones delivered a solid performance. He finished 29-of-39 for 281 yards and one touchdown.

Few will pin the blame on Jones for the result, with James White saying he "kept us in it."

The most pivotal play of the game saw little involvement from the first-year signal-caller. The Patriots were knocking on the door late in the fourth quarter and appeared poised to get the go-ahead score when Damien Harris fumbled on a 1st-and-10 from Miami's 11-yard line.

If nothing else, Jones' showing provides a silver lining for New England.

A win would've been ideal, but at least the franchise quarterback affirmed why he was handed the starting job right out of the gate. According to Stathead, Jones threw for the most yards ever by a Patriots quarterback in a debut for the organization.

New England had a forgettable first year in the post-Tom Brady era, finishing 7-9 and missing the playoffs in 2020. Despite an 0-1 start to 2021, the Pats are shaping up to be on solid footing for the future.