ESPN QB expert declares Mac Jones is ‘back’ after 1 game with Bill O’Brien

You can count ESPN analyst, and former NFL quarterback, Dan Orlovsky among those on the Mac Jones hype train this year.

Orlovsky posted a clip to social media Thursday where he broke down one of Jones’ touchdown passes from the New England Patriots’ season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles. In it, Orlovsky noted all the small adjustments and clever tricks he employed on the play — what he called “the smarts, the awareness, the understanding” — before making a perfect throw.

It was just one of a number of plays where Jones looked sharp in the 2023 opener, his first game under new offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien, though the Patriots did end up losing.

“It’s nice to see Mac Jones back and looking like Mac Jones for (Patriots),” Orlovsky wrote. “Thought O’Brien and his bunch package was fantastic all game.”

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The play in question was Jones’ touchdown pass to Kendrick Bourne just before halftime. Orlovsky noted that Jones appeared to recognize that the Eagles were playing man coverage before the snap. He then notes that Jones appears to make an obvious signal to the receiver to his right, making a “curl” motion with his arms.

But as Orlovsky points out, this was likely a feint from Jones, who took the snap and immediately stared down the receiver he signaled. The deep safety for the Eagles took the bait, keeping his eyes on Jones to make the throw to his right.

However, Jones then snapped back to his left to find Bourne open at the back of the endzone with a throw that Orlovsky called absolutely spectacular.” The ESPN analyst called the play

“It’s great by Mac completely turning and committing to that and then making the perfect throw, really, really smart. This is the Mac Jones, that I know,” Orlovsky said in the clip.

Jones finished with one of his most prolific games in recent memory, going 35-of-54 passing for 316 yards, 3 touchdowns and an interception. More than anything, Jones and the passing attack appeared to have more of a spark than they did last year when Matt Patricia was running the show on offense.

At the time, Orlovsky was highly critical of the Patriots’ decision to put Patricia in change of the offense.

“Two months ago, I said this was the most concerning thing to me in the NFL, and it still is,” Orlovsky said. “The Patriots took a strength and an advantage and now sit at a massive disadvantage. I have no clue what their offense is going to be, what their scheme is going to be.

Now, O’Brien and Jones appear to be righting the ship. It’s enough for one of ESPN’s QB experts to claim that Jones is “back.”