3 stats that prove Patriots are Super Bowl contenders
By Jerry Trotta
1. Mac Jones-Tom Brady comparison
Unlike some Patriots fans, we’ve refrained from pointing out the similarities between Mac Jones and Tom Brady.
In many ways, the Alabama product mirrors the 44-year-old legend, but we know better than to jump the gun and compare a rookie to a seven-time champion and the consensus greatest player to ever grace the NFL.
HOWEVER, their stats through 10 games (11 in Jones’ case now) are almost identical. Before Thursday, though, here’s what they looked like.
- Brady: 7-3 record, 66.1% completion percentage, 203.6 yards per game, 16 touchdowns, 7 interceptions, 94.5 rating
- Jones: 6-4 record, 69.0% completion percentage, 233.3 yards per game, 13 touchdowns, 7 interceptions, 94.1 rating
That’s gotta count for something, right? Even if you refuse to even entertain this conversation, there’s something to be said that Jones is accurate and takes care of the football. Are those qualities not conducive to championship football?
Yes, he had a bad-looking interception against Atlanta. He got greedy and it backfired. However, he’s the type of QB that won’t make the same mistake twice.
Additionally, after going 22-for-26 (84.6%) on Thursday, Jones became the first rookie in league history to complete at least 80% of his passes in consecutive games. At 70.2%, he ranks third in that category for the season.
The best part about Jones is that he doesn’t try to do more than what’s asked of him. With a selfless quarterback, an air-tight defense and a bruising running game, the Patriots have the recipe needed to win their seventh ring.
