Jameis Winston threw two touchdown passes and the New Orleans defense grabbed the first three interceptions of Mac Jones’ career in a 28-13 defeat of the host New England Patriots Sunday afternoon.
Winston completed 13 of 21 for 128 yards and was not intercepted. Jones, the Patriots’ rookie No. 1 draft choice from Alabama, completed 30 of 51 pass attempts for 270 yards and one touchdown, but P.J. Williams’ interception set up a touchdown and Malcolm Jenkins had a 34-yard interception return for a touchdown for New Orleans (2-1).
Marshon Lattimore intercepted Jones’ final pass of the game.
Jones entered the game having completed 73.9 percent of his passes, but had thrown just one touchdown for the Patriots (1-2).
New Orleans, which had been displaced to the Dallas-Fort Worth area for four weeks because of Hurricane Ida, was scheduled to return home after the game.
On the first offensive play of the third quarter, Jones’ pass bounced off the fingers of Jonnu Smith and Jenkins intercepted and sprinted untouched for his touchdown and a 21-3 Saints lead.
Nick Folk’s 36-yard field goal cut the lead to 21-6 at the end of the third quarter.
Jones’ 22-yard touchdown pass to Kendrick Bourne reduced the lead to 21-13 with 9:22 left.
Taysom Hill ran 4 yards for a touchdown and a 28-13 lead with 2:37 left.
On the Saints’ second possession of the game, Winston threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Alvin Kamara on third-and-7, giving New Orleans a 7-0 lead.
The score stayed that way at the end of the period when Aldrick Rosas missed a chance to extend the lead when he was wide left on a 52-yard field-goal attempt.
The Saints blocked a punt and started at the New England 49, but Rosas was wide left again from 36 yards.
Jones threw his first NFL interception when Williams picked him off and returned to the Patriots 9. Winston threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Marquez Callaway on third-and-goal to increase the lead to 14-0.
The Patriots cut the lead to 14-3 at halftime when Folk kicked a 45-yard field goal.
–Field Level Media