QUARTERBACK MAC JONES
PRESS CONFERENCE
December 1, 2021
On how fun it will be to play in an atmosphere like Buffalo on Monday night:
MJ: I think people who love football want to get a chance to play in games like these. I know all the guys on both teams want to play in games like this. It'll be a great experience. I know they have a bunch of great fans, and it's football, so you've just got to go out there and play the game that we've all played since we were little kids.
On Buffalo's fanbase:
MJ: They bring a lot of energy, and they have a great fanbase. They love football. It's two great franchises going against each other. A lot of football history. This game coming up, like I said, both teams are going to be excited, and there's going to be energy, so we've just got to be ready to go.
On if he feeds off the energy of opposing fans screaming at him before the game:
MJ: No. I think it's great energy, but I don't ever really try to watch or anything. I just look at my phone or just sit there. I guess some people can look at it and enjoy it. It is fun, wherever you're playing, sometimes to just get a peek at the city or whatever and see everybody.
On his relationship with Josh Allen:
MJ: I don't know him personally, but I think he's a great quarterback, and he has all the physical tools. You see him make some throws that a lot of quarterbacks can't make. He's got a great arm, and he's very athletic. He's a big dude. Obviously, he's really good, and he's been good in the league for the past couple years. I loved watching him when I was in college when he was in the NFL, and seeing what he did in that offense is great. He's done a great job.
On if he dreamed about playing in Monday Night Football growing up:
MJ: I think just any chance to play in the NFL, everybody wants that, regardless of whether it's a Monday, Sunday, Thursday. Just going out there and enjoying it. Just go out there and play the game that we all know and love. Enjoy it, regardless of what day it is or what time it is.
On the most hostile environment he has ever played in:
MJ: I've been to a lot of cool stadiums and stuff. I've been both the backup quarterback and the starter. That's college. I haven't really played a ton of NFL games. This'll be new for me, but I know a lot of guys on the team have played in a lot of big games. At the end of the day, you've just got to block out the noise the best you can. It's going to be loud. You just have to prepare yourself mentally for that. That's pretty much all you can do. You can look at the past and see what you've gone through, but you won't be able to experience it until it happens.
On the influence Brian Daboll had on him back at Alabama:
MJ: I think Dabes is a great coach. I was very young at the time, but he coached me really hard. He taught me a lot about football. He's a great offensive coordinator and a great person. To get to know him was awesome, and I know he's done a really good job there. Obviously, we're going against their defense, and they're going against us. I'll probably say hi or whatever, but other than that, I know he's done a good job all year with them.
On what unique challenges the Bills defense presents:
MJ: They present every challenge. They're one of the top defenses in the whole country. They lead almost every category or they're in the top-10. They don't do a lot of things bad, so we've just got to be ready to go. They have great experience in most parts, and some of the young guys have stepped in and played really well. They have a really good mix of experience and team speed. They play hard, and they play together. It's a great defense, and they don't really have many flaws.
On how Buffalo disguises coverages:
MJ: They do a great job with that. Just with the experience they have at safety and stuff, obviously those guys have played a lot of football, 18 years combined, so they're on the same page. They're whole defense does a good job with disguise. You just have to prepare for it and play the game.
On if he ever tries to emulate another quarterback's style like Josh Allen:
MJ: I think whatever you can absorb from somebody's game, I think there's a lot of things that he does that a lot of people can't do, and you might go out and try them in the yard or something. He does them really well all the time. Every player is their own player, and he's done a good job creating explosive plays with his arm and his legs. He's just a great all-around athlete and a great quarterback.
On how helpful it has been to have Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson in the backfield:
MJ: It takes everybody, but I think it starts up front. With the communication and the effort that those guys have been playing with has been great. We've just got to keep doing that. We trust the running backs to make the yards they're supposed to make. They've done a good job all year, not only running the ball, but in pass protection and then in the route running game especially. Ever since James [White] has been out, they've done a good job stepping up. They will continue to do that, and we can just continue improvements in communication and being on the same page so that we can get more explosive runs.
