WR Donald Jones, New England Patriots

HT: 6-1, WT: 214, Born: 12-17-1987, College: Youngstown State, Drafted: ---

2013 Projections

2013 Schedule

2012 Game Summaries

Week 1 - Jones won the starting job opposite Steve Johnson and wound up leading the Bills in receptions with 5 in a blowout loss to the Jets. With just 1 catch for 6 yards in the first half, however, nearly all of his production came in the second half with the game well out of reach. He figures to take on a bigger role in the offense going forward since slot receiver David Nelson appears to be lost for the year with a knee injury. Jones is a great blocker who might be a good fit inside, which would likely lead to more targets for him as Fitzpatrick loves to work the middle of the field in the Bills spread offense.

Week 2 - Jones started the game and saw extensive playing time working out of the slot, but he was only targeted 3 times and finished with just a single catch for -1 yard. As the team’s best blocking receiver, he did help spring a couple of big gains.

Week 3 - The injury to David Nelson created some new opportunities for Jones and he seemed to take advantage of them this week. He played nearly the entire game and was one of the more active receivers for the Bills with 5 catches on 6 targets. While he only gained 42 yards on those catches and didn’t break anything big, he showed good awareness in coming back to the football regularly and likely generated trust from his QB for the weeks ahead.

Week 4 - Jones turned a short slant pass into a massive touchdown with his speed and intelligence to cut away from Steve Gregory in the open field. He also made a good reception for 20 yards later in the game after finding a soft spot in the zone.

Week 5 - On Buffalo’s lone scoring drive, Jones dropped a slant in the red zone, though the throw was on his back shoulder. Had he been able to readjust, he would have been able to fall forward for a touchdown. Later in the game he had beaten his man on a route to the back of the end zone, but a terrible throw by Fitzpatrick resulted in an interception that Jones had no chance on.

Week 6 - Jones picked up four targets, but was only able to catch one of them. Jones biggest play was drawing a pass interference call on Sam Acho in OT. Jones was behind Acho, but Fitzpatrick’s throw was awful. Jones was targeted two other times on deep balls, one from Fitzpatrick early and later from Smith on his INT, both times beating coverage from William Gay, but both times being victimized by poor throws.

Week 7 - Jones played second fiddle to Johnson on Sunday, but still amassed five targets, catching four of them. Jones longest play came off a play action boot, dragging across the middle of the field while the coverage was focused on TE Scott Chandler on the underneath route. On the same drive, Jones lined up outside Johnson and was able to beat the coverage on the post for a 15-yard TD catch. Jones may need to take some celebration lessons from Johnson, however, as his “moves” left plenty to be desired. Fitzpatrick used Jones in the quick passing game as well, picking up six yards on a quick screen and another six on a slant, which was good to see, as Jones has often been portrayed as solely a deep threat opposite Johnson. Jones was the target on Fitzpatrick’s lone INT, but should receive no blame for it. McCourty was sitting on the route and there was nothing Jones could do to prevent it.

Week 9 - It is hard to remember a time someone other than Stevie Johnson led the team in targets, but Donald Jones did just that, leading the team with nine (also leading in catches and yards too). Like his teammate, Jones did a nice job working the inside early, picking up 15 yards on two slants. The 2nd of which saw a tremendous effort from Jones who was hit well short of the line to gain, but nearly muscled his way to the first down, coming up just short. Perhaps instilling some early confidence, it was Jones whom Fitzpatrick targeted in the two-minute drill despite Johnson being open underneath. Both working the right side, Jones ran a nice out over the top of Johnson’s curl, easily beating the soft coverage and securing the catch for 19 yards. It took a perfect throw from Fitzpatrick, but Jones made the play look easy (which Bills pass catchers struggled with all day). Later it was Jones again whom Fitzpatrick targeted on deep crosser. Working off play action, Jones easily beat the coverage inside and hauled in the catch for 15 yards. Fitzpatrick tried to work Jones into space on his next catch, but LB Bradie James wasn’t fooled by the play fake and dropped Jones immediately for a short two-yard gain. Jones would only receive one more target, but Fitzpatrick badly overthrew the out, giving Jones no shot at making the catch.

Week 10 - Jones led the team in targets with ten, catching six of them, including a two-yard TD grab on the Bills’ final scoring drive. Jones’ long came on his first catch of the game, dragging across the field before Fitzpatrick found him 22 yards down the field. Jones made a nice grab on his 2nd catch, just missing another TD on the deep post. Fitzpatrick’s throw was high (a WR’s dream when going across the middle), but Jones was able to elevate and collect the pass before the hit came. The catch took the Bills to the Patriot three, with a TD coming two plays later. Jones made another nice grab on his next catch, having to reach back across his body on the curl on the errant throw for 11 yards. Fitzpatrick just missed Jones on a wheel a couple plays later. Jones beat the coverage, but the throw was a tad too long. Again, Jones just missed a TD three plays later, catching quick slant and getting dragged down at the one. Jones picked up a TD on his next catch, going in motion and getting to the inside on the coverage, easily securing the two-yard TD on the slant. Jones did have a couple drops, the 2nd considerably more damaging (despite being exponentially more difficult). On the Bills’ final drive, Jones ran a corner route and had the coverage beat. Fitzpatrick delivered a perfect ball right into Jones’ hands, but the impact from the turf and tackling McCourty jarred it loose. Jones had to be helped off the field, but it didn’t appear serious.

Week 11 - Jones was second on the team with five targets, but was only able to muster two catches for a disappointing 11 yards. Jones nearly made a nice catch in the end zone on the Bills’ first scoring drive, but the throw was slightly off line and Jones was unable to maneuver his body into position to make the catch. The toss hit Jones’ hands, but it would have been a tremendous catch had he been able to haul it in. Jones joined in on the Carroll penalty party, working a nifty double move on the DB, but Carroll knocked Jones off his route for the illegal contact penalty. Fitzpatrick tried to hit Jones on the Bills’ final drive of the first half, but he was well covered and the forced throw nearly ended disastrously in an INT. Jones’ first catch didn’t come until the opening drive of the 2nd half, and only picked up eight yards. Jones 2nd catch was only noteworthy in that he fumbled the ball, but was saved by center Eric Wood as he trailed the play. A disappointing night for Jones, especially considering his prior two weeks and the juicy matchup, but the game script combined with an offense out of rhythm never called for much else from Jones.

Week 12 - Jones was second on the team in both targets and catches with six and four respectively, but couldn’t do much outside of his long of 12 yards. Coming on a middle screen inside the red zone, Jones just missed a TD as he was tackled at the Colt one-yard line on the play. Like Johnson, Jones was able to use a nice double move to take advantage of uber-aggressive Colt DBs, but Fitzpatrick’s throw was both high and wide with a little too much on it. Because of the pace of the throw, Jones couldn’t adjust quickly enough as the ball sailed out of bounds. Jones did contribute in the running game too, as he helped seal the edge for one Spiller’s longer runs. Always prepared for the bounce, Jones pressed his man outside, allowing Spiller to cut back into the massive hole.

Week 14 - Jones received five targets, catching three, including a long of 19 yards on the Bills’ first scoring drive. Faking the corner route, Jones instead ran the seam and Fitzpatrick easily spotted the open WR to get the drive going. However, the day was quiet otherwise as Jones appears to still be working back to his pre-ankle injury form.