Patriots Fans See Improvement from Mac Jones, Offense Despite Loss to Hurts, Eagles

The New England Patriots may have lost their season opener to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, but there was at least one silver lining.

Third-year quarterback Mac Jones showed signs of brilliance in the 25-20 loss, finishing with 316 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. He carried the New England offense on his back, completing 35 of his 54 passes while the team generated just 76 rushing yards on 22 total attempts.

Jones had a tough sophomore campaign in 2022, so seeing him perform well was certainly a welcomed sight for Patriots fans. The 25-year-old had New England in position to go for a game-winning drive, but the team wasn't able to convert when it counted.

For Jones, it was the fifth time in his career that he threw for over 300 yards and the fourth time that he threw three touchdowns. One of the best games of his career came in front of Patriots legend Tom Brady, who was honored by the team during a halftime ceremony.

Fans online were pleased with what they saw from Jones despite the loss:

The Patriots have many positives they can take away from Sunday's game. They held Eagles star quarterback Jalen Hurts to 170 passing yards and a touchdown. If the run game catches up to Jones and the passing attack, New England will have a good chance of achieving success this season.

Jones and the Patriots will look to bounce back when they face the Miami Dolphins in an AFC East matchup on Sunday Night Football next week.