The New England Patriots had a pretty rough 2022 season. Their 8-9 record somehow underscores the struggles this team went through during the entire year. Their offense, in particular, took the hardest hit: the committee approach Bill Belichick approved for the offense did not pan out. Mac Jones was the biggest casualty, as his play significantly regressed with Matt Patricia and Joe Judge calling the shots.

Ahead of the 2023 season, Mac Jones expressed confidence that he can be better next season, per ESPN. The Patriots quarterback cited the troublesome 2022 season as a ‘learning experience', and he's hoping to draw valuable lessons from that dark period.

Patriots' Jones: “Sometimes the most confident people come from a year where they might not have been their best. I feel like that’s where I’m at,” he said. “Really great people are formed through ups and downs. Some of the learning experiences I had last year will really help. There’s a lot of things I can do better as a person, as a player.”

Jones' first year in the NFL was incredible for rookie standards. He wasn't a flashy player, but he was easily the best QB from his class during 2021. In fact, the Patriots signal-caller earned Pro Bowl honors during that season! He was never going to be the next Tom Brady, but fans were hoping that he could be the next franchise QB for New England.

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Year 2, though, saw Jones suffer a major regression. While some of it can be attributed to his sub-par play, the impact of Matt Patricia's sub-par play calling was evident. Jones was clearly frustrated with the set-up, voicing his annoyance to the coaching staff multiple times. At one point, it seemed like the two sides were headed towards an early break-up.

Now, Jones has a chance to make up for lost time and pick up where he left off in 2021. The Patriots hired a familiar face in Bill O'Brien to be their offensive coordinator. O'Brien's been criticized in the past for his time in Houston, but no one can deny that he's an excellent OC. Will Jones learn from the insanity of the 2022 season?