FILE - New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones (10) throws against the Las Vegas Raiders during the first half of an NFL preseason football game, Friday, Aug. 26, 2022, in Las Vegas. Tua Tagovailoa and Mac Jones will be forever linked by their time as Alabama teammates. Now, for the second consecutive year, they'll meet in Week 1 of the NFL season. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri, File)

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Mac Jones had it on full display in his locker.

It was a photo from last January’s lopsided 47-17 AFC Wild Card playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills.

“I’ve always been a big fan of having motivational stuff in your locker,” he said.

The time has come for the motivation to bear fruit as the New England Patriots open the 2022-23 season Sunday at Miami. Jones has been under the microscope this summer – as most starting NFL quarterbacks are – while learning a new offensive system. The entire offensive approach, along with the coaching staff and head man Bill Belichick’s approach of having Matt Patricia and Joe Judge, two failed NFL head coaches, sharing duties. Belichick has described it as “a process.,” often with a grin.

But the fact is the Patriots exited the 2021 overall season having allowed 47 points with the opposing Buffalo offense not punting once. Thus, while changing the offense in the absence of coordinator Josh McDaniels leaving for the Vegas head job was a big task, the Patriots really needed to get younger and faster on defense. They were exposed.

Did they do it? We’ll see.

Here’s a look at the units and who should be standing out:

OFFENSE

We don’t pretend to know a thing about zone blocking vs. whatever, or what it takes to simplify an offense. What we do know is Jones looks stronger, and has a better group of receivers in DeVante Parker, Jakobi Meyers, and either Nelson Agholor or Kendrick Bourne or both Hopefully injured rookie Tyquan Thornton will be able to join them at some point after his collarbone injury, as he’s currently in injured reserve.

You know that Meyers, Parker and tight end Hunter Henry will be Jones’ top targets; a big question is if they can get their other big ticket tight end Jonnu Smith

going.

“He’s off to a real good start,” Belichick said earlier this week. “And we’ll see how things go in the regular season, but he’s put himself in position to, I think, go out and play well.”

Up front, New England drafted a guard, Cole Strange, to give them a long-term guy on one side while curiously trading Shaq Mason in favor of the progressing Michael Onwenu. The Patriots depend a lot on center David Andrews, and have Trent Brown at one tackle while one wonders at their confidence in Isaiah Wynn at the other. Could Yodny Cajuste seem more time? Justin Herron? If there’s a question, Brown could be shifted back to right tackle.

The running game should still be solid with the combo of Damien Harris and Rahmondre Stevenson. You’d love to see J.J. Taylor break out if he’s able to make the roster, while veteran Ty Montgomery may be the heir apparent to the retired James White in the receiving type back.

Don’t forget, they drafted two backs: Kevin Harris and Pierre Strong, Jr., neither of whom will see much time or could even be practice squaders.

The Patriots won’t score a lot against the tougher defenses, but they won’t look as bad as they have during camp.

DEFENSE

Here’s the key, because the offense, especially early on, isn’t going to win many shootouts, necessitating that the defense hold teams down.

Up front, New England appears solid as second year tackle Christian Barmore has been a camp force, and veteran Davon Gadchaux is signed long term. Deitrich Wise, Jr. and Lawrence Guy are on the outside but are versatile enough to take advantage of Barmore tying up lineman to get into the other team’s backfield. This group shouldn’t be pushed around as much as it has in the past.

The Patriots obviously have targeted linebacker as a spot needing to improve with youth and speed, simply because they haven’t brought back the veterans (Kyle Van Noy, Dant’e Hightower, James Collins) from last year. Matt Judon, Ja’Whaun Bentley and veteran Mack Wilson, Sr. can handle the job, and Belichick loves the speed of Wilson. “He adds speed to our game both on defense and the kicking game,” he said. “He’s been a good addition.” It would be great if Judon can return to the form he had the first two-thirds of the season last year before we think health issues slowed him down.

The secondary will actually help out the linebackers, not the other way around, as safeties Kyle Dugger – he really has been impressive and was a solid draft pick two years ago – and Jabril Peppers are run first defenders. Of course there’s been some debate on the corners, but Jalen Mills has established himself as the No. 1 and right now we’d say it’s Jonathan Jones at the other spot, as veteran Terrence Mitchell lost the battle and ended up on the practice squad.

Devin McCourty and Adrian Phillips will be deep safeties, and McCourty is at the point in his career in which he’s using his smarts almost more than his athleticism. But basically the Patriots need to win the battle up front to help out the rest of the defense.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Having Matthew Slater helps, but there are others Belichick likes for special teams in terms of coverage, because speed is key. It’s the return game that the Patriots will be looking to figure out, both in kickoff and punt, now that Gunner Olszewski left as a free agent. Montgomery may be the return man for both once he recovers from a sore ankle; there’s also J.J. Taylor if he can come off the practice squad. Nothing spectacular here.

Kickers won’t change: Nick Folk, punter Jake Bailey, although Bailey needs a bounce-back 2022.

COACHING

Even owner Robert Kraft admits some of Belichick’s decisions are surprising, and sure, there’s pressure for the coach to win a playoff game for the first time since the Super Bowl in February 2019. But he’s still the best around. It’s the rest of the staff, though, that’s in question, with no coordinators on either side of the ball. Defensively it seems status quo with Jerod Mayo and Steve Belichick running things; offensively, of course the process is under fire but it all looks like Patricia is running the show. Consider Jones’ words just over a week ago:

“Matt’s done a great job,” Jones said. “He’s one of the most brilliant people I’ve ever been around in terms of football knowledge. … He’s very easy to talk to on the sideline, very easy, laid-back kind of type coach but he demands a lot, and I respect that about him.

“Hopefully we can grow for a long time.”

Tells you who Jones considers his offensive boss, doesn’t it?

OVERALL

It’s a long season, injuries, highs, lows, etc. all are waiting down the road. Whether teams like it or not, the Patriots are a team in transition, trying to win with some big salaried veterans holding the fort and get younger. Look at this roster compared to the Super Bowl championship team of the 2018 season. Four years later, they need to take the next step from a year ago but we don’t think their ready yet.

They’ll probably be 9-8 at best, 7-10 at worst.