Patriots' Mac Jones Will Start vs. Raiders Despite Struggles, Bill Belichick Says

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick confirmed Mac Jones will remain the starting quarterback for Sunday's game against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Belichick has benched Jones for two straight weeks midway through one-sided losses to the Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints.

While Belichick is willing to stick with the 2021 Pro Bowler for now, the internal pressure appears to be ramping up.

ESPN's Dan Graziano reported Wednesday he had spoken with people "in and around that situation" in New England.

"They thought [Jones] was showing improvement in some key areas over the first three weeks of the season, but the past two games have been complete catastrophes, leaving them to wonder whether Jones really can evolve into the team's franchise quarterback," Graziano wrote.

However, the franchise may not be ready to throw in the towel just yet, in part because of failings on Belichick's part.

The Athletic's Jeff Howe reported Wednesday that team owner Robert Kraft "has grown frustrated, if not downright angry, over this shortage of success" after Tom Brady left in 2020.

Howe proceeded to lay out the issues for which Belichick is culpable, such as the inability to nurture and develop young talent or properly address the turnover within the coaching staff and front office.

Belichick also "alienated Jones last season, a truth so obvious around the Patriots' building that Kraft became aware and had to take the temperature of the situation," per Howe.

The Patriots' handling of the quarterback position is symbolic of their larger problems.

Belichick doesn't seem to have total confidence in Jones, which is understandable to a degree. The 25-year-old regressed in 2022, throwing for 2,997 yards, 14 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, and his ceiling simply may not be much higher than what he delivered as a rookie.

However, Belichick hasn't made much of an effort to improve Jones' supporting cast, which could help get the 2021 first-round pick to another level.

The 71-year-old was likewise reticent to move on when a clearly better alternative presented itself in the offseason. New England was never in the race to land Lamar Jackson before he ultimately re-signed with the Baltimore Ravens.

Jones will probably get benched for good if his performance doesn't improve soon, and that would all but guarantee somebody else is running the offense in 2024.

For all Belichick has achieved, the idea of him moving on to a new QB may not be all that encouraging for the fanbase, though, considering how the post-Brady era is unfolding.