Bob Socci: Mac Jones’ success against Eagles attributed to both his resilience and Bill O’Brien’s strategic play calling

Bob Socci, the voice of the New England Patriots on 98.5 The Sports Hub, joined Toucher & Rich to share his thoughts on the Patriots week 1 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. One topic they touched on was Mac Jones' performance and whether his improvements has anything to do with the team's new offensive coach, Bill O'Brien.

Socci acknowledge that credit should be given to both Mac Jones and Bill O'Brien and praises his ability to stand in the pocket, make throws under pressure, and find a rhythm despite taking some hits. On the other hand, Bill O'Brien is credited for his play calling and adjustments that helped the offense find its rhythm, especially in the second quarter. They also mention the Eagles' defensive line and how the Patriots' offensive strategy, including quick releases and effective play calling, contributed to their success in the game.

The New England Patriots found themselves in an early disadvantage and were unable to make a complete comeback, resulting in a 25-20 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday at Gillette Stadium. Despite having several opportunities to seize a late-game lead, Mac Jones and the Patriots' offense couldn't quite synchronize during crucial moments, leading to the team starting the 2023 season at 0-1.

The New England Patriots are 0-1 to start the 2023 regular season after a 25-20 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles at Gillette Stadium. Here are six players we graded "UP" or "DOWN" based on their performance in the game...

Overall, probably not quite good enough by Jones to get the Patriots a win. Darius Slay's pick-six was at least partially his fault, and he went 2-of-6 for 26 yards and two sacks on the team's final two drives of the fourth quarter, with a chance to put the team ahead. But Jones did throw three touchdown passes, all in the red zone, to get them back in a game that was slipping away, and they were all pinpoint throws.

All-in-all, a good game by Jones, and better than most of what we saw in 2022.

Elliott's first-quarter fumble, which came on literally the first offensive play after the pick-six, was a real back-breaker. The Eagles got the ball at the Pats' 26-yard line and promptly scored a touchdown with a pass from Jalen Hurts to DeVonta Smith, making it 16-0 at the time. New England essentially never fully recovered from that sequence.

The newcomer played reasonably well from there on out, totaling 29 rushing yards on seven carries and adding five catches for 14 yards. But he simply needs to protect the ball better. Ball security is job security, and Elliott won't be getting the ball so much if he can't keep it away from the other team.

Bourne had to work his way up to this point, because the pick-six was partially on him. The ball's in your hands? As an NFL receiver, you've got to catch it. But Bourne was able to more than make up for the pick-six in his own right, catching two touchdowns and re-establishing himself as a go-to guy for Jones. Not a perfect game for Bourne by any means - he also needs to hold onto the ball better - but the positives outweighed the negatives.

Boutte was targeted four times and ended up without a catch. But he was able to reel in two of those targets; problem is, he couldn't get both his feet in bounds either time. The tougher one to swallow was on the Patriots' last gasp in the fourth quarter, when he caught a well-placed ball by Jones but wasn't even close to getting his second foot down. The rookie will have to learn the hard way from that and get his details down for next time.

Peppers made a potentially game-breaking play when he hit Hurts hard enough to knock the ball loose, which resulted in a fumble recovery by Marcus Jones. He quite literally gave Mac Jones and the offense a chance to win the game. He was having a good game up to that point, too. Peppers finished with a pass breakup, which was a near-interception that he ran across the entire field to make, and six total tackles.

Wise committed two penalties, the first of which proved costly. He lined up offside when the Eagles botched a snap, turning third-and-long into a fresh set of downs. It set a bad tone for the game.

That's it for Week 1. Next Patriots Ups & Downs come after the Pats play the Miami Dolphins in Week 2 at Gillette Stadium.

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Matt Dolloff is a writer and podcaster for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Yell at him on Twitter @mattdolloff and follow him on Instagram @realmattdolloff. Check out all of Matt's content here.