Is this actually what caused Mac Jones’ interception?

Mac Jones made his return on Monday night against the Bears in what would be one of the ugliest performances of his NFL career so far. On top of all the storylines that have come from the game, the interception that seemingly led to his removal from the game has gained some traction online after a closer examination of the video from the moment.

https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1584711392359198720?s=20&t=k802voap-UmTRRDqzEUU9Q

A Twitter user posted a video on Tuesday morning that showed the football thrown by Jones appearing to collide with a wire connected to ESPN’s SkyCam.

The video gained much traction among fans and those in the New England media, including Doug Kyed from PFF. To get a better view of the contact between the football and the wire, Kyed shared his own video of the play where he slowed the footage down to prove whether the football was interfered with.

Although it’s difficult to say definitively if the football and wire hit, it’s clear the trajectory of the ball does change, creating the possibility of the play ending in an interception.

Many conversations surrounding the video have mentioned that the incident could’ve been reviewed by officials or challenged by Belichick if he saw fit. The NFL Rulebook states, “if a loose ball in play strikes a video board, guide wire, sky cam, or any other object, the ball will be dead immediately, and the down will be replayed at the previous spot.” However, even with zoomed-in footage, it’s inconclusive that there was interference. Because of that, it’s unlikely that either referees or coaches were aware of the possible incident, nor would it have likely met the threshold to be overturned.

In real-time, the throw and resulting interception were said to be caused by an underthrown pass to Jonnu Smith. Jaquan Brisker blanketed the tight end, and regardless of the wire, it certainly could’ve played out exactly as it did. But upon further review, the chances of the football’s movement altering due to the wire seem more than plausible, making the entire situation more frustrating.

Because the play ended Jones’ night, it would be fair for the team to be made aware of the interference. The quarterback received a lot of negativity and criticism following his performance, some of it warranted and others not. To blame the interception solely on his shoulders would be unjust. The Patriots have a lot of cleaning up to do, not just on the field but also regarding the team’s morale, and mentioning this moment should be included in it all.