Sunday night against the Buccaneers will be Mac Jones' first real big game as a professional quarterback.
It will be his first primetime game and also the first time facing one of the best quarterbacks the league has to offer in Tom Brady. It's obviously Brady's first time returning to New England since leaving after 20 seasons, which adds to the intrigue.
So, has Jones thought about it being his first real big pro game?
“Not really," he said Wednesday. "It’s really just us against the other team and that’s how it always will be. It’s not like one person facing one person. I think a lot of it is 11-on-11 and that’s what goes into it. That’s how they are going to look at it. That’s how every team looks at it. It’s just you’re getting a chance to compete in a primetime game and that’s just what it is.”
Jones also said he's not feeling any pressure going into it.
“I think it just goes back to really with pressure you just have to focus on doing what you’re supposed to do," he said. "People who have jobs in high pressure situations, that’s what they do. They do their job really well and they prepare really hard. So, it’s all you can control. Once the hay is in the barn, the hay is in the barn and you just got to go play. I think everyone will be excited and we’re just going to be ready to play when it happens.”
As for Brady, the rookie said he's someone he's watched and looked up to since he was a kid.
“I think growing up just seeing different quarterbacks play is always very helpful to me -- regardless of the team, regardless of the player," Jones said. "He’s someone who has played for a long time and done it the right way. You definitely want to watch someone like that growing up and being able to emulate them in any part you can in your game and just take what they do and learn from it.”
What does the "right way" mean?
“Just coming to work every day and just blocking out the noise and focusing on what you have to focus on," said Jones. "That’s what really good players do. They just show up every day with the same positive attitude and they come to work and they grind through all the hard days and work through all the problems and keep pushing. That’s a common trait between people who are successful, whatever adversity they face they keep moving forward.”
Both teams are desperate for a win as they are both coming off losses.
