Sunday's Week 2 matchup will be the first time in the teams' 62-year rivalry that rookie quarterbacks will start against each other with Jets QB Zach Wilson, selected No. 2 overall, and Patriots QB Mac Jones, selected No. 15 overall.
Jones, one of five first-round picks on offense out of Alabama in 2021, put up gaudy numbers in 2020 with the Crimson Tide. He threw for 4,500 yards, 41 TDs and 4 INTs while completing 77.4% of his passes. He beat out Cam Newton, New England's starter from last season, in training camp and the preseason, and was impressive in his regular-season debut despite losing to the Dolphins, 17-16. Jones completed 74.4% of his passes (29 of 39) and threw for 281 yards and 1 TD for a 102.6 rating.
"I thought he was very impressive in his first time out there," said Ben Volin, Senior NFL Writer at The Boston Globe. "I think he gives the Patriots a lot to work with. He really didn't make a lot of mistakes out there. His teammates were the one making mistakes, taking penalties in the red zone, fumbling in the red zone. … I thought he stood tall in the pocket, he got hit nine times but only took one sack and it was the first play of the game. Otherwise, he shuffled around well, he hit the open receiver. He didn't always push the ball downfield, but he did make throws over the middle deep down the field."
Jones, one of five first-round picks on offense out of Alabama in 2021, put up gaudy numbers in 2020 with the Crimson Tide. He threw for 4,500 yards, 41 TDs and 4 INTs while completing 77.4% of his passes. He beat out Cam Newton, New England's starter from last season, in training camp and the preseason, and was impressive in his regular-season debut despite losing to the Dolphins, 17-16. Jones completed 74.4% of his passes (29 of 39) and threw for 281 yards and 1 TD for a 102.6 rating.
"I thought he was very impressive in his first time out there," said Ben Volin, Senior NFL Writer at The Boston Globe. "I think he gives the Patriots a lot to work with. He really didn't make a lot of mistakes out there. His teammates were the one making mistakes, taking penalties in the red zone, fumbling in the red zone. … I thought he stood tall in the pocket, he got hit nine times but only took one sack and it was the first play of the game. Otherwise, he shuffled around well, he hit the open receiver. He didn't always push the ball downfield, but he did make throws over the middle deep down the field."