The Patriots were hoping backup quarterback Bailey Zappe could at least provide some relief to the offensive misery and a provide a spark of hope on Sunday. This came when head coach Bill Belichick elected to bench Mac Jones in the fourth quarter against the Colts at Frankfurt Stadium with just minutes remaining.
Jones led the Patriots down to the Colts’ 15-yard line before he was picked off by Julian Blackmon. After Jones’s brutal interception and Indianapolis punting at the two-minute warning on its next drive, Zappe relieved Jones.
However, with the game on the line, Zappe faked a clock spike and launched an interception right into the hands of Colts’ Rodney Thomas to seal the victory for Indianapolis. NFL fans could not believe Zappe’s throw and did not hold back in their reaction to his late-game blunder.
With Sunday's loss, the Patriots (2-8) recorded their eighth loss of the season and are trending toward this season being the first time that a Belichick-coached team has registered a record under .500 since 2000.
There was no effort in his throw…
— Last Take™ (@TheRealLastTake) November 12, 2023
mac jones could have done that!
— Matthew Murrie (@MattMurrie) November 12, 2023
— Al Quint 🎧✍️📸📚 (@SuburbanVoice) November 12, 2023
"A Bailey Zappe fake-spike leads to a game-sealing interception. Words that I didn't wake up this morning here in Germany think that I'd be saying."- Rich Eisen
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 12, 2023
"I'm in disbelief of just the sequence... [Bill Belichick's] look right there sums up their season..."- Jason McCourty pic.twitter.com/IiKNzsexm9
Bailey Zappe, who said he has 100% belief in himself if called upon to start, on what he saw on the final throw. pic.twitter.com/y3uRAoEpmw
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) November 12, 2023
