Bailey Zappe entered Monday night’s game against the Bears in relief of Mac Jones with 11:41 left in the second quarter and the Patriots trailing, 10–0. Two drives and six minutes later, he had New England ahead 14–10 and had the Gillette Stadium crowd buzzing.
In the end, though, Zappe’s impact was minimal in what became a 33–14 Bears win. And the question of who will be the Patriots’ starter going forward looms large.
Bill Belichick was asked after the game who the team’s starter currently is, and, in typical Belichick-ian fashion, was curt in his response.
“We just finished the game,” Belichick told reporters, declining to speculate on New England’s next game.
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Jones started Monday’s game and played the first three series with minimal success. The Patriots went three-and-out on their first two drives, then had momentum going on their third before Jones threw an interception in Chicago territory. Zappe took over from there, leading New England on two quick-strike touchdown drives that amassed 105 yards on seven combined plays.
From there, though, the Patriots couldn’t get anything going. On the team’s final six possessions, New England managed just 77 total yards on 25 plays, with Zappe turning the ball over three times (two interceptions and one fumble). He finished the game completing 14 of his 22 pass attempts for 185 yards and one touchdown.
Jones, who had missed the previous three games with an ankle injury, was just 3-for-6 for 13 yards and a pick. The Patriots will play next Sunday against the Jets.
