Nick Wright might be the world's biggest Mac Jones hater. The FS1 talking head never misses an opportunity to rip the New England Patriots quarterback.
So, when Jones and the Patriots stumbled out of the gate Sunday in their Week 1 game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Gillette Stadium, it obviously opened the door for Wright to fire a shot at the third-year signal-caller.
"Good to see Mac Jones picking up right where he left off last season!," Wright posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. "Where is Bailey Zappe when you need him???"
Jones bounced back admirably Sunday, ultimately throwing for 316 yards with three touchdowns as New England fought tooth and nail to upset the defending NFC champions. But it still wasn't enough. The Eagles held off the Patriots to claim a 25-20 win in the season opener in Foxboro.
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Now, one could argue the Patriots should feel optimistic despite their loss. New England's defense played very well and its offense looked like a functioning unit, which wasn't the case for much of last season.
"It's weird, but I feel the Patriots should probably feel a little better than the Eagles do about the way things went down in Foxboro," Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer tweeted after the game. "New England offense looked improved. Philly's secondary has some questions."
Wright's colleague, Kevin Wildes, agreed with Breer's assessment, adding, "I agree with this. The loss feels oddly optimistic."
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This logic struck a chord with Wright, a Kansas City Chiefs fan, and prompted a snarky reaction poking fun at the pro-Patriots sentiment.
"Moral Victory SZN!," Wright wrote in response to Wildes and Breer.
The Patriots dominated the NFL for two decades with Tom Brady under center. Trips to the Super Bowl became the norm. The thought of leaning into moral victories in New England is a bit unsettling, to say the least.
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That said, the Eagles are an excellent team with championship aspirations. Pushing them to the limit represents progress for the Patriots, who haven't won a playoff game since hosting the Lombardi Trophy to conclude the 2018 season.
Featured image via Eric Canha/USA TODAY Sports Images
