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New England Patriots rookie quarterback Mac Jones has taken the league by surprise this season. Since becoming the last quarterback drafted in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft, Jones has surpassed any and all expectations that were expected of him.
Jones and the Patriots have passed the Buffalo Bills for the AFC East division lead and are gearing up for a Monday Night showdown that could change the trajectory of the season for either team.
Mac Jones' performance has caught the eye of many former players, including ESPN analyst Booger McFarland.
McFarland said on ESPN's "Get Up" that Jones is the best of all the rookie quarterbacks and that the other teams made a mistake by not drafting him earlier while the Patriots truly did luck out.
McFarland also noted something he had said when Jones was named the starter at the end of training camp in August: how Jones knows what to do with the football and processes information quickly on the field, unlike some veteran quarterbacks.
" Playing that position is about understanding great decision making," Mcfarland said, "taking care of the football throwing the football with accuracy and timing, and he does that better than some veterans..."
Booger McFarland believes Patriots drafting Jones put Bills 'on notice'
Why did Mac Jones fall to the last quarterback to be drafted in the first round, at 15 by the New England Patriots? Super Bowl champion Booger McFarland said it was because the other teams drafted "on measurables and not necessarily on our smarts."
McFarland went on to confirm that Jones' ability to read defenses is better than veterans and definitely better than other rookies.
"I'm sure the guys can pull the tape when they decided to Cut Cam August 31," McFarland said. "I was on 'Get Up' and I simply said that day, now that Mac Jones is the starting quarterback the Buffalo Bills are on notice because everybody around the sport just gave the AFC East to the Buffalo Bills.
"You can pull the tape August 31, I said the Bills are on notice because you put Mac Jones with that coach with all the weapons they got in the offseason. You can see it coming; so no, this is not a surprise when you get a smart quarterback who understands what to do with the football, Greenie, because playing that position, it's not about being 6'6 and running 4.5."
For the Monday Night matchup, the Buffalo Bills will host the New England Patriots in the first meeting between the two teams this season. It will be the first time Jones will play against the Bills. The two teams will meet again in just three weeks.
The Patriots' current six-game win streak has them at 8-4, one game ahead of the Buffalo Bills at 7-4.
This will be Jones' first taste of a strong divisional rivalry that he will be sure to play in for years to come.
Also check out: Complete Thursday Night Football Schedule 2021
