Damien Woody thinks Mac Jones will have a ‘bounce-back year’ in 2023

Morning Sports Update

“Mac Jones dealt with adversity last year, but he’s going to have a good year this year.”

The Red Sox lost to the Astros 7-3 on Tuesday, falling five games behind the Mariners in the race for the final AL wild-card spot.

The two teams play again today at 8:10 p.m. ET.

Damien Woody’s take on Mac Jones: After a strong rookie season, Mac Jones (and the Patriots offense as a whole) took a step back in 2022. The team struggled to move the ball with Matt Patricia calling plays.

In 2023, Bill O’Brien is back with New England to revive Jones’s passing ability and the Patriots’ offense.

While it’s still early, the initial reviews are promising. Jones seems to be recovering his confidence, according to safety Adrian Phillips.

Projecting what this might mean for the regular season, ESPN analyst (and former Patriots offensive lineman) Damien Woody thinks the O’Brien-Jones partnership will be a fruitful one for New England.

“First of all, they speak the same language,” Woody said during a Tuesday episode of “NFL Live” on ESPN, referencing Jones and O’Brien’s tenures under both Bill Belichick and Nick Saban.

“I expect Mac Jones to have a big time bounce-back year, because you’ve got an offensive coordinator who knows how to coordinate an offense, who knows who to put guys in the right positions to make plays out there on the field,” Woody explained.

While the Patriots are currently seen as the biggest long shot to win the AFC East, Woody is confident that one of New England’s crucial pieces at the quarterback position will deliver.

“Mac Jones dealt with adversity last year, but he’s going to have a good year this year.”

Trivia: There have been 19 examples in NFL history of a quarterback throwing at least 40 touchdown passes in a season. Ten quarterbacks accounted for those 19 seasons. Can you name the seven quarterbacks who recorded multiple 40-touchdown pass seasons?

(Answer at the bottom).

Hint: The colleges they played for were: Tennessee, Michigan, Texas Tech, Purdue, Cal, Georgia, and Pitt.

More from Boston.com:

A’ja Wilson tied a record: The Vegas Aces star scored 53 in a 112-100 win over the Atlanta Dream. The mark tied the WNBA single-game record, set by Liz Cambage in 2018.

On this day: In 1903, the Boston Americans swept the St. Louis Browns in a doubleheader, 5-3 and 4-2. The day was notable for Boston turning a triple play in the second game to help escape a late-inning jam.

Daily highlight: Alek Thomas made a great early read and sprinted all out to make a thrilling catch in the Diamondbacks’ 6-3 win over the Rangers on Tuesday.