Vegas Expects Mac Jones to Outplay Tua Tagovailoa in Week 1
By Peter Dewey
Mac Jones took the NFL world by storm when the New England Patriots cut Cam Newton Tuesday; giving the rookie the starting job.
Jones, the No. 15 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, moved all the way into second on the odds list at WynnBET to win the Offensive Rookie of the Year award this season at +300. Jones posted the highest ProFootballFocus preseason grade ever after carving up teams in the preseason, and oddsmakers seem to think that will carry over into Week 1.
Highest-graded preseasons by rookie QBs in PFF Preseason Era (2013)
— PFF (@PFF) August 31, 2021
1️⃣ Mac Jones, 2021 - 92.2
2️⃣ Patrick Mahomes, 2017 - 91.8 pic.twitter.com/EKOkFIFLRN
The Patriots will take on the Miami Dolphins in Week 1, and Jones will face his former teammate in Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. The two University of Alabama products are a part of a prop to lead the NFL in passing yards in Week 1, and Vegas is siding with the rookie.
Jones is +2000 to lead the NFL in Week 1 passing yards, which is in the middle of the pack, but Tagovailoa is all the way down at +5000 odds to lead the league. Mac mania is going to be wild if he carves up the Dolphins to beat Tua in Week 1.
Personally, the odds on this prop are a little surprising, considering that the Dolphins have Xavien Howard and Byron Jones in their secondary, but they were 23rd in the NFL against the pass last season.
The Patriots boast a solid secondary of their own, but their top corner Stephon Gilmore is on the physically unable to perform list and won’t play in their first six games.
Patriots placing Pro Bowl CB Stephon Gilmore on the Physically Unable To Perform List, which means he will miss at least the first six games, per source. He is recovering from quad surgery at end of last season. His agent Jason Chayut of @SPORTSTARSNYC confirmed the move to ESPN.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 31, 2021
Does that give Tua a better chance to make a statement in Week 1? Maybe. However, after watching the former No. 5 overall pick struggle in the 2020 season (he threw for just 1,814 yards in 10 games, nine starts), I can see why oddsmakers are higher on Jones heading into this matchup.
I don’t think either player will be the league’s top passer in Week 1, but Jones seems to fit right in with New England’s offense and could improve his Offensive Rookie of the Year odds even more by making a splash in the season opener.
Will Mac Jones get the best of Tua Tagovailoa in Week 1?
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