Patriots' Mac Jones on Belichick's Benching: 'I'm Working Hard. I Know I Can Do It'

Mac Jones' leash may be the shortest of any starting quarterback heading into Week 5, but the New England Patriots quarterback is not giving up belief in himself.

"I think, for me, I just gotta go out there and win some games," Jones said on WEEI. "And that's what it all comes down to is going out there and doing my part. I'm working hard. I know I can do it. I have to believe in myself. And I didn't really give them a lot to believe in the other night, but I will show that I can do it. And that comes from hard work and trusting myself and trusting them."

Jones has thrown for 898 yards and five touchdowns against four interceptions over the first four weeks. The third-year quarterback was benched in favor of Bailey Zappe after throwing two picks and losing a fumble in Sunday's 38-3 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

After a somewhat promising rookie campaign in 2021, Jones has been one of the NFL's worst quarterbacks over the last two seasons. He's been simultaneously turnover-prone and unable to make big plays, currently averaging just 6.2 yards per attempt through the first four weeks.

While the Patriots have done Jones no favors surrounding him with quality skill position players—New England has had one of the NFL's worst wide receiver rooms in each of his three seasons—but the Alabama product hasn't looked like a quality starter when play designs are ideal.

His public declarations of confidence are promising, but they're not being followed up with confident play. He looks unsure of himself unless he's checking down, and the rare moments where Jones has thrown a ball with some gusto, it's either been inaccurate or an incorrect decision.

There is a chance Jones will eventually develop into a mid-to-lower-tier starting NFL quarterback. The odds of him ever becoming a true franchise face and living up to his first-round billing lower with every snap he takes at this point.

Zappe didn't exactly light the world on fire after entering the game in garbage time against Dallas, either, so it might be fully back to the drawing board for Belichick at quarterback next offseason.