Mac Jones makes his case to be the Jacksonville backup

If you're looking for the perfect example of how quickly the career of an NFL quarterback can go into a downward spiral, look no further than Mac Jones.

It's hard to remember now, but Jones entered the NFL with a championship pedigree. He was an Alabama gunslinger who led the Crimson Tide to a national title, but he slipped to 15th in the draft, mostly due to his lack of mobility, and he was quickly scooped up by the New England Patriots.

Which looked like a great career fit--until it wasn't. Jones got New England to the playoffs in his rookie year, but after that, the spiral began in earnest. Now he's in Jacksonville fighting for his NFL life, and Jones made his case with another solid performance against Atlanta in a 31-0 preseason victory. Which may hinge on his performance in the Jags final preseason game against Atlanta.

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Mac Jones goes south, literally and figuratively

Jones failed quickly and spectacularly in his second season with the Patriots. After being carefully spoon-fed by veteran OC Josh McDaniels, Jones was thrown to the wolves with his two new coordinators, former DC Matt Patricia and former special teams coordinator Joe Judge.

The results were bad. Plays didn't come in on time, there were numerous pre-snap penalties and mental errors, and the lack of effective wide receivers led the offense to sputter. Jones showed his frustration on the field several times, gesturing and shaking his head to indicate his ongoing frustration.

The situation was critical mass when coach Bill Belichick made Jones inactive for the Pats final game against the Jets. The writing was on the wall, and no one was surprised after Belichick was politely fired and Jones was traded to the Jags for a late-round draft pick.

The Jacksonville resurrection

To his credit, Jones has made the most of his new situation. He first resurfaced as a viable NFL quarterback in the Jag's second preseason game, throwing for two TDs and 210 yards against the Bucs.

His performance against Atlanta wasn't quite as good, but he's still trending upward. Jones had some uneven moments and he made some dodgy throws, but he hit 13 of 18 throws for 11 yards and a score.

Jones could still be cut or traded when rosters are trimmed, but he has several reasons to breathe easier. CJ Beathard, his primary competitor for the backup QB spot, didn't play at all against the Falcons, which seems like a solid indicator that Jones has won the job.

Jones will make almost $3 million this year, while Beathard has no guaranteed money. However, Jacksonville still needs a solid backup if Trevor Lawrence misses time due to injury.

The caveats going forward

There are several caveats pertaining to Jones' performance and his future. He posted last night's numbers against Atlanta's backups, so he'll be throwing into much tighter windows if he does see the field this year. Jones is especially good at shorter throws, but occasionally, he still tries to make plays when his arm can't deliver.

The other caveat is that Trevor Lawrence looks to be back in a big way. Lawrence looked smooth and fluid after struggling with injuries last year, and he's put on some muscle as well. He drove the Jaguar's offense at will in his first-half stint, although once again, those drives happened against the Falcon's backups.

The bad news for Jones is that he'll likely sit for most of the year, assuming he keeps the backup spot and the Jags don't move him. That means he'll probably be in the same spot next year, looking for someone to give him another shot at a starter's job coming off his rookie contract.

Article originally written by Bob McCullough