Why Eagles Star Gave ‘Shoutout To Mac Jones’ In Podcast Episode

Even in a losing effort that saw an ugly pick-six, Mac Jones managed to impress his opponents last Sunday night.

Eagles cornerback Darius Slay, the man who recorded that pick-six, praised Jones during the latest episode of his podcast. Jones, who faced relentless pressure all night, passed for 316 and three touchdowns in the New England Patriots' 25-20 season-opening loss at Gillette Stadium.

"I gotta give a shoutout to Mac Jones," Slay said. "He had a great game. We stopped him early, we got (two turnovers). … But he got his groove going. He was making great checks, making accurate throws.

"He missed some throws, but he was just making great plays. He made great plays on fourth down."

As encouraging as Jones' performance was, it still came in a loss. And that too often has been the case since he debuted with the Patriots in 2021.

But the narrative could shift Sunday night when New England hosts the Miami Dolphins in a primetime matchup. If Jones hands Tua Tagovailoa his first loss to Bill Belichick, it might be time to talk about this Patriots team potentially exceeding preseason expectations.

Kickoff from Gillette Stadium is scheduled for 8:20 p.m. ET. New England will be wearing its classic red throwback uniforms.