All eyes were on the Patriots and their impromptu quarterback competition against the Chicago Bears on Monday Night. Mac Jones started the game, and he was sloppy and never saw the field after the first three drives. Jones finished his day with an uninspiring three completions on six attempts for 13 yards and a pick. Doing most of his damage from him scrambling for 24 yards. Bailey Zappe played the majority of the game completing 14 of 22 passes for 185 yards with a touchdown and two picks.
But the story that the Patriots should come away with isn’t about their quarterback play. It’s their defence. Who made second-year quarterback Justin Fields run all over them like he was Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson. In the fog and alternate uniforms, the Patriots couldn’t stop a nosebleed. When it came to third down? They only forced two points.
Bill Belichick faces more than just a quarterback problem, which is still murky at best for Zappe or Jones. They got smacked in their own building versus one of the worst teams in football if you ask fans. They now have the same record as New England. And the Patriots are comfortably in the last place of the AFC East with a big-time divisional matchup with the New York Jets in MetLife Stadium on the horizon.
Between the pre-snap penalties from Trent Brown, and the defense suddenly imploding after three games straight of solid play, tipped passes, injuries, and little clarity on the Patriots’ quarterback situation, the Patriots leave Monday night football with more questions than answers. In an already crowded AFC East, it doesn’t get any easier from here on out.
Okay, but is the quarterback controversy answered?
I’ll admit when I’m wrong. I’ve been one of the biggest advocates for Mac Jones to return as the starter for the Patriots. I was amped to see him come back and play, but he didn’t execute. Nor did he inspire. The offense was sluggish and timid the whole time Jones was under center.
When Bailey Zappe came in and relieved Jones, the energy shifted. The crowd was roaring, the receivers made plays, and they executed two touchdown drives to take the lead in the first half.
After that though, it was nothing. Three-and-outs, batted passes, and a back-breaking interception in the fourth quarter thwarted any confidence I had in Zappe long-term. The Patriots treated this as a pre-season game and got killed by a lesser team for it.
Maybe Zappe deserves a full week of starting reps and gets the nod for them next week against the Jets. Maybe Mac Jones returns to normal, he participates fully in practice and will be the starter comfortably next week. Either way, the Patriots have bigger problems than the quarterback. And not even that is solved. It’s one week until the trade deadline, and the Patriots have a LOT to figure out before things become impossible.
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