Patriots put CB Marcus Jones in for 1st offensive play of his career, and he scores TD
The New England Patriots still lead the league in players making contributions on both sides of the ball.
Marcus Jones is a rookie cornerback, and he gained a measure of fame with a dramatic punt return in the final seconds to beat the New York Jets a couple weeks ago. Those moves might have gotten the Patriots coaching staff's imagination going.
In a huge game against the Buffalo Bills, the Patriots put Jones in on offense. He had never played an offensive snap in the NFL. The Patriots threw quick to Jones and he turned on his speed for a 48-yard touchdown and a 7-3 Patriots lead.
DeVante Parker tried to throw a block for Jones, but Jones just went the other way and was too fast for the Bills.
Run @justjjones, run! 💨 @Patriots are on the board!#BUFvsNE on Prime Video
Also available on NFL+ https://t.co/bTTcEL41DH pic.twitter.com/umFF0ZIFTh— NFL (@NFL) December 2, 2022
Bettors had to be shocked. Jones was 150-to-1 at BetMGM to score the first touchdown of the game. He was listed because perhaps he could break a punt or kickoff return for a score. Anyone with the incredible foresight to bet him never could have guessed it would have come on a reception.
In the Bill Belichick era, the Patriots haven't been shy about using offensive players on defense and vice versa. Receiver Troy Brown pitched in at cornerback. Former Patriots Linebacker (and current Tennessee Titans coach) Mike Vrabel caught some goal-line touchdowns on offense. Belichick values versatility in his players, and he's willing to use them in multiple ways. Jones did catch 15 passes in college, and it's safe to bet that caught the Patriots' eye in the pre-draft process.
Few teams are more creative than the Patriots when it comes to deploying their personnel. Jones probably will get more than a few chances to make an impact on the offensive side of the ball.