The fate of the 2022 Patriots will mostly be determined by how well Mac Jones plays in his second season.
Of course, the quarterback is the most important position in football, so the same thing could be said about every other team. But there’s still 21 other positions on the field (along with special teams) that each play some role in the final record of the season.
As the NFL continues to be a pass-dominant league, the biggest X-factor for the Patriots will be involved in the air game in some way – but not on offense.