Farrell isn't as bad as some are saying here, but neither is he as good as his apparent ratings on some lists. He kicks a goal very, very well and honestly, he's won England games with that. You can't overestimate the value of a very good kicker in Union, it applies huge pressure to the opposition even before kick off. All kickers have off days and to miss a couple from wide out in a game is understandable - Sexton has kicked poorly all 6 Nations. It's not just about Farrell, England have the same issues they had when Jones took over, which is why I am a little worried about his management. The back row has not evolved and the England mid field is as clueless as it was under Lancaster. Joseph can't pass (which probably explains why he never does), and the Ford/Farrell thing is not ideal and always a compromise. Farrell still has the same limitations he had when he first appeared. He is not quick enough or a big enough ball carrier to play 12 and he lacks the game management of a really good 10 (his tactical kicking game is very average and Wrigglesworth and Goode do all that for Saracens). His defence is also error prone - no way around this, he misses a lot of 1:1 tackles. Also, for all his experience he still makes very stupid mistakes (his late hit on Carney on Saturday a prime example).
England's back row is just wrong. Vunipola is a massive miss as he's probably the only England player that would make it into a world 15. Robshaw has been outstanding but he's really been it. Nathan Hughes was pants, Lawes isn't a 6, Underhill tackles with his head so is always concussed and Simmonds should be playing 7. It shows the desperation when Haskell gets a call up. The other problem is that in the Premiership the breakdown is pretty much uncontested by almost mutual agreement, it's one of the reasons English clubs have done so badly this year in Europe.
Eddie Jones never criticizes refs but he must be worried that England seem to have been reffed out of games this year. Nigel Owens handling of the Scotland game was farcical. He basically let the Scottish forwards do whatever they wanted at the breakdown, the England
/Wales game was even worse - Wales on "conceded" 2 penalties the entire match (8 is considered very good) and at the end they weren't even trying to stay onside or on their feet.
But Jones has to take a lot of the criticism. England couldn't manage to set up a driving maul properly in three attempts on the Irish line first half Saturday (they should watch the England women do it - superb technique), his failure to develop a third scrum half, poor back row choices, an attack that is too deep and easy to pick off. But the main issue England seem to have is scoring tries. They lack patience and execution when in possession in the opponents half. Jones has seen Exeter play, they keep the ball and they execute to an incredibly high percentage in the opponents 22, they almost always get the 4 try bonus point. England don't. Eventually they try something over ambitious out wide and make a mess of it or someone puts in a crappy grubber kick.
Specifically on Farrell, if Tuilagi was fit I would not have him in the team. Ford is a better ball player and tactical kicker, with Tuilagi and Elliot Daley in the centres England would have a better balance mid field. Leicester play with two ball players, Ford and Toomua, it doesn't work. Tuilagi can easily switch to inside and Daley is a better ball player than Joseph (not difficult). We have lots of very good wingers.
Interesting to see how Jones goes now with a tour to SA coming up I believe over the summer.
