FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Quick-hit thoughts and notes around the New England Patriots and NFL:
1. Aikman’s take: In his first year as the analyst for ESPN’s Monday Night Football, Troy Aikman will get an up close look at quarterback Mac Jones and the Patriots twice – Oct. 24 versus the Chicago Bears and Dec. 12 at the Arizona Cardinals.
Aikman has spent time with Jones, as they share a connection through Jones’ longtime throwing coach, Joe Dickinson. He believes the Patriots have a gem. He also isn’t surprised to hear that Jones and the New England offense have undergone some “growing pains” as they transition from offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels to a three-headed leadership structure including playcaller Matt Patricia, head coach Bill Belichick and quarterbacks coach Joe Judge.
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“I like Mac Jones; I really do. I think he possesses everything you need to win in the NFL. He’s a lot like Tom [Brady] that way, which has not been a surprise as to why he ended up in New England,” Aikman said.
“I will say, and Bill knows this, I think offensive coordinator is the hardest job in football. I think it’s the most demanding job. They’re hard to find. There’s not a lot of great ones. There’s a lot of them that have titles, but there’s not a lot of great…
