Mac Jones talked about rhythm and working against the Patriots defense on Tuesday. (AP photo)

Is Mac Jones a much ore confident quarterback than a year ago?

Could be. One thing is for sure, he’s more comfortable working under new offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien.

“One thing in practice, you can get into a rhythm,” he said on Tuesday as the New England Patriots returned to the practice field after Saturday night’s somewhat traumatic preseason game at Green Bay. “I think sometimes in preseason it’s hard to get into a rhythm, but you have to work through that and try and find out in what ways you can start fast and really just carry that momentum into the season.

“But, I think the defense has given us great looks, both the scout defense and the starting defense. So, we definitely really enjoy competing against them.”

Jones seems to have a choice of targets, and the other night Kendrick Bourne certainly was one. Tight end Mike Gisecki, who had been nursing a shoulder injury, was also seen at practice in a red non-contact jersey.

“Yeah, I think the big thing is just using your tools, right?,” Jones said. ” The defense can do whatever they want, so just trying to use your toolbox to make sure we get in the right play and all of that stuff.

“But, that’ll get easier as the season goes on because you see more looks, you kind of remember the looks and things like that. So, all stuff that we’re still working through in the preseason, but it’s critical for this system, for the quarterback – whether you’re right or wrong – to be on the same page as the offensive line because you kind of set up the blocks and stuff.”

Again, Jones is trying to go with the flow.

“One thing in practice, you can get into a rhythm,” he said. “I think sometimes in preseason it’s hard to get into a rhythm, but you have to work through that and try and find out in what ways you can start fast and really just carry that momentum into the season. “But, I think the defense has given us great looks, both the scout defense and the starting defense. So, we definitely really enjoy competing against them.

“In the preseason, in the games and stuff, we’re not really showing much,” Jones said. “So, we’re just trying to do the basic things right.”

A LOT GOING ON

Patriots coach Bill Belichick was asked how the team is handling having just two practices this week. He basically said that’s just one of the things the Parriots are dealing with.

“We’re at the time of year where a lot of wheels are spinning,” he said. “It’s not the same for everything. What the offense is doing might be different than what the defense is doing, which might be different than the kicking game, or priorities in the secondary, from the front seven, or the receivers or the offensive line. It’s not all straight line here.

“So, there’s corrections, there’s Tennessee, there’s the regular season, there’s other factors. So, we’ve got multiple things going on. That’s normal. It’s the way it is this time of year.

PATRIOTS CLAIM MCCALL

The Patriots claimed DL Marquan McCall off waivers from the Carolina Panthers. In addition, the Patriots announced they have released WR Tre Nixon. Nixon was injured in Saturday night’s game and will likely end up on injured reserve if he clears waivers.

McCall, 24, is your basic big body and run defender. He originally signed with Carolina as a rookie free agent out of Kentucky on May 1, 2022. The 6-foot-3, 345-pounder, played in 16 games as a rookie and finished with 15 total tackles. He was released by Carolina on Aug. 21.

HOW’S BOLDEN?

There was no news regarding how rookie DB Isaiah Bolden is following his brutal collision that caused the game to be halted Saturday. “He’s in concussion protocol,” Belichick said.