When Tom Brady left for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the legacy he built with the New England Patriots went with him. Fortunately for the franchise, they seem to be doing just fine without him. The Patriots are entering the second official season of their new dynasty, led by quarterback Mac Jones.

Last season, the team went 10-7 under the new leadership, and even had a small playoff run. This offseason has proved to be extremely beneficial for the team as a whole, and the 2022 NFL Season is shaping up to be a good one for the Patriots.

Patriots Way Too Early Predictions For The 2022 NFL Season

3. Mac Jones comes into his own

For months, we've heard about Mac Jones and how much he's grown throughout the offseason. He's gotten a ton of praise from his teammates, Jakobi Meyers calling him “the real deal.” Bill Belichick even said that the Pats are functioning differently this year because Jones has more experience.

So what should you expect from the 23-year-old during his second year in the league?

The short answer: a lot.

Jones certainly proved himself last season. He threw 352 completions for 3,801 yards and 22 touchdowns in the regular season. Not to mention, he also recorded 232 passing yards and two passing touchdowns in his rookie-year playoff debut.

It also says a lot that Belichick is shifting the offense based around Jones and his newfound experience. Expect Jones' completion percentage to improve drastically this season (from 67.6% in 2021-2022) and expect at least 200 more passing yards.

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2. Jakobi Meyers has the best season of his career

Things are a little unsteady with Meyers as the Patriots finish their final mid-June OTAs. He was placed on the injury list with an undisclosed injury during mandatory minicamp. However, Belichick downplayed the situation, leading us to believe that Meyers will be healthy for the start of the season.

Not to mention, the team signed Meyers to his restricted free agent tender the same day they placed him on the IL. In other words, it doesn't seem like the undisclosed injury is going to have an impact on the upcoming season.

Meyers is undeniably Jones' favorite receiver. He targeted him nearly twice more than any other teammate last year. Meyers had 83 receptions for 866 yards and two touchdowns. His 2021-2022 stats marked his most productive year since he entered the league in 2019. Expect this trend to continue, and expect Meyers to see at least a dozen more targets and 150 extra yards in 2022.

 

1. The Pats go 11-6 with a deeper playoff run than last season

The Patriots have a mix bagged when it comes to the team's 2022-2023 schedule. They face high-quality opponents like the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals, while also taking on the less-daunting New York Jets twice.

Just by looking at the matchups, the Patriots will easily finish the regular season above .500. In fact, they have a chance to give the Bills a run for their money for the AFC Divisional title.

Assuming that they beat the Jets twice and win one of their matchups against the Miami Dolphins, the Patriots will go 11-6 this season. And, they'll win their first playoff game under Jones' leadership.