How does Bailey Zappe’s solid play affect Mac Jones’ eventual return?
October 18, 2022
How does Bailey Zappe’s solid play affect Mac Jones’ eventual return?
10 comments
**How does Bailey Zappe’s solid play affect Mac Jones’ eventual return?** By Mike Reiss CLEVELAND — It is sometimes said that when a team has two quarterbacks, it really has none. But what if one played a major role in a 10-win season as a first-round rookie, and the other (a fourth-round rookie) stepped in to replace him when injuries struck early the next season and is 2-0 in those games? That’s the situation the New England Patriots are facing with Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe — far from the “2 equals 0” category and more the type of “problem” any team would like to have. Thus, how coach Bill Belichick proceeds — with Jones seemingly closer to a return after sustaining a severe high left ankle sprain on Sept. 25 — adds a layer of intrigue as preparations shift toward hosting the Chicago Bears next Monday night (8:15 ET. ESPN). Follow the NFL all season longEverything you need this week: • Full schedule » | Standings » • Depth charts for every team » • Transactions » | Injuries » • Football Power Index rankings » More NFL coverage » Will it be the “Return of the Mac”?Or “Don’t worry, be Zappe”?At the least, Zappe’s capable performance in Sunday’s 38-15 win over the Cleveland Browns (24-of-34 for 309 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions) gives Belichick something to think about from a timeline standpoint.He can give Jones more time, and Jones can comfortably take that time to get himself as close to 100% as possible, without the team’s season slipping away. The Patriots are 3-3 and playing some of their best football over the past two weeks.Belichick isn’t into hypotheticals, but here’s an example of one that could be in play: Jones assesses himself at around 75-85% and wants to give it a shot against the Bears. That would change the dynamics of Jones’ status from a medical decision to a football decision, with Belichick assessing whether a less-than-100% Jones is the better option than the healthier Zappe.Best of NFL Nation• Wilson not first to struggle in Denver • Staley not apologizing for decisions • Mariota making most of second chance • Chase, Burrow get offense on track • How Zappe’s play affects Jones’ return? Belichick might have indirectly provided a hint of the direction he would lean when he said of Zappe after Sunday’s win: “He has pretty good instincts, but there is a lot for him to learn. There are things [Sunday] that he learned from and he was able to take advantage of and make a couple plays. It’s all performance. It’s not turning the ball over or a strip sack.”A strip sack was one of Zappe’s notable miscues Sunday, but overall, he has taken care of the football, which had been a trouble spot with Jones in the team’s 1-2 start.Best of NFL Nation• Wilson not first to struggle in Denver • Staley not apologizing for decisions • Mariota making most of second chance • Chase, Burrow get offense on track • How Zappe’s play affects Jones’ return? “Hats off to him these past couple weeks, coming in and doing a helluva job. I couldn’t be more proud,” tight end Jonnu Smith said. “He is still a rookie, so we won’t say Zappe is the GOAT, but he definitely has impressed.”“A lot of poise, a lot of composure,” added starting center David Andrews. “He is doing what’s asked of him.”Zappe has also benefited from playing with a lead, and some rather large windows in which to throw. The Patriots have also simplified their approach, with what seems to be a noticeably lower degree of difficulty.Because of that, it remains unknown whether he could carry the offense to a victory should a more difficult scenario present itself.That’s often the case for backup quarterbacks, and the way Zappe has stepped into a challenging spot has earned respect from teammates nonetheless.“You rewind a month ago, and nobody is talking about him being a contributor to our team,” captain Matthew Slater said. “That is the National Football League, you never know when your moment is going to come. You hope that you prepare enough and are able to take advantage of it; I think that man is doing just that.”How much longer will it last?This week could provide the answer.
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Just taking a wild guess without reading and saying that- it didn’t. Mac is still the go to. But the thing he has affected is that if later on in the season when Mac is back and Hoyer, Zappe is the go to in Mac is out again.
Everyone is overhyping Zappe drastically. Yes he’s done well when he needed to and yes he’s won us games. But let’s be real, 3 games is a small sample size and not near even definitive evidence that he should be starting over Mac like some fans were calling for during the Green Bay game.
It affects the team because they don’t need to have 3QBs on the 53. No need to bring Hoyer back off IR, so they freed up a spot on the roster.
I think if Mac throws another terrible red zone INT like he did against BAL they might turn to Zappe.
I think it allows Mac to get fully healthy before coming back. Having said that… What if Mac comes back and plays poorly ? Let the games begin.
I think the biggest ripple effect is his play forces Mac to check his attitude and come back ready to step up.
I think we’ll see who Jones really is in the next few weeks. He needs to not only buy-in to the system but he also has to up his game.
If Zappe plays on Monday and plays well, I think you have to keep playing him because you could easily be traveling on the road to play a 5-2 Jets team in a game that actually matters. If Zappe has a three game winning streak throwing for 250+ yards, and has like 6 TD to 1 fake interception, you have to ride that hot hand
It just gives him a shorter leash.
I wonder how good macs numbers would have been if he got to play the two worst defenses in the NFL.
It means we know we have a great back up if anything is to happens to Mac again
I’d like to see Zappe get Bears and Jets and Mac get Colts and Jets. That would be the one part of the schedule that would likely be revealing. If Mac’s first start is against the Jets and the two weeks later he’s playing the Vikings, lots of people are going to say, “see we should have stuck with Zappe,” even though the idea Zappe is going to run circles around this year’s Jet’s is not likely.
To me, what Zappe’s success should mean is that we don’t have to rush Mac back. We can let him get to 100% and lessen the chance for re-aggravation. It’s a great luxury to have.
10 comments
**How does Bailey Zappe’s solid play affect Mac Jones’ eventual return?**
By Mike Reiss
CLEVELAND — It is sometimes said that when a team has two quarterbacks, it really has none. But what if one played a major role in a 10-win season as a first-round rookie, and the other (a fourth-round rookie) stepped in to replace him when injuries struck early the next season and is 2-0 in those games?
That’s the situation the New England Patriots are facing with Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe — far from the “2 equals 0” category and more the type of “problem” any team would like to have.
Thus, how coach Bill Belichick proceeds — with Jones seemingly closer to a return after sustaining a severe high left ankle sprain on Sept. 25 — adds a layer of intrigue as preparations shift toward hosting the Chicago Bears next Monday night (8:15 ET. ESPN).
Follow the NFL all season longEverything you need this week:
• Full schedule » | Standings »
• Depth charts for every team »
• Transactions » | Injuries »
• Football Power Index rankings »
More NFL coverage »
Will it be the “Return of the Mac”?Or “Don’t worry, be Zappe”?At the least, Zappe’s capable performance in Sunday’s 38-15 win over the Cleveland Browns (24-of-34 for 309 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions) gives Belichick something to think about from a timeline standpoint.He can give Jones more time, and Jones can comfortably take that time to get himself as close to 100% as possible, without the team’s season slipping away. The Patriots are 3-3 and playing some of their best football over the past two weeks.Belichick isn’t into hypotheticals, but here’s an example of one that could be in play: Jones assesses himself at around 75-85% and wants to give it a shot against the Bears. That would change the dynamics of Jones’ status from a medical decision to a football decision, with Belichick assessing whether a less-than-100% Jones is the better option than the healthier Zappe.Best of NFL Nation• Wilson not first to struggle in Denver
• Staley not apologizing for decisions
• Mariota making most of second chance
• Chase, Burrow get offense on track
• How Zappe’s play affects Jones’ return?
Belichick might have indirectly provided a hint of the direction he would lean when he said of Zappe after Sunday’s win: “He has pretty good instincts, but there is a lot for him to learn. There are things [Sunday] that he learned from and he was able to take advantage of and make a couple plays. It’s all performance. It’s not turning the ball over or a strip sack.”A strip sack was one of Zappe’s notable miscues Sunday, but overall, he has taken care of the football, which had been a trouble spot with Jones in the team’s 1-2 start.Best of NFL Nation• Wilson not first to struggle in Denver
• Staley not apologizing for decisions
• Mariota making most of second chance
• Chase, Burrow get offense on track
• How Zappe’s play affects Jones’ return?
“Hats off to him these past couple weeks, coming in and doing a helluva job. I couldn’t be more proud,” tight end Jonnu Smith said. “He is still a rookie, so we won’t say Zappe is the GOAT, but he definitely has impressed.”“A lot of poise, a lot of composure,” added starting center David Andrews. “He is doing what’s asked of him.”Zappe has also benefited from playing with a lead, and some rather large windows in which to throw. The Patriots have also simplified their approach, with what seems to be a noticeably lower degree of difficulty.Because of that, it remains unknown whether he could carry the offense to a victory should a more difficult scenario present itself.That’s often the case for backup quarterbacks, and the way Zappe has stepped into a challenging spot has earned respect from teammates nonetheless.“You rewind a month ago, and nobody is talking about him being a contributor to our team,” captain Matthew Slater said. “That is the National Football League, you never know when your moment is going to come. You hope that you prepare enough and are able to take advantage of it; I think that man is doing just that.”How much longer will it last?This week could provide the answer.
**I’m back! I apologize for my absence Patriots fans! Join the resistance, don’t give ESPN your clicks! [And thank you for helping make me one best bots on reddit! (current rank 36 thanks to 2 jerkoffs)](https://botrank.pastimes.eu/)
–Love Fuck_ESPN_Bot**
Just taking a wild guess without reading and saying that- it didn’t. Mac is still the go to. But the thing he has affected is that if later on in the season when Mac is back and Hoyer, Zappe is the go to in Mac is out again.
Everyone is overhyping Zappe drastically. Yes he’s done well when he needed to and yes he’s won us games. But let’s be real, 3 games is a small sample size and not near even definitive evidence that he should be starting over Mac like some fans were calling for during the Green Bay game.
It affects the team because they don’t need to have 3QBs on the 53. No need to bring Hoyer back off IR, so they freed up a spot on the roster.
I think if Mac throws another terrible red zone INT like he did against BAL they might turn to Zappe.
I think it allows Mac to get fully healthy before coming back. Having said that… What if Mac comes back and plays poorly ? Let the games begin.
I think the biggest ripple effect is his play forces Mac to check his attitude and come back ready to step up.
I think we’ll see who Jones really is in the next few weeks. He needs to not only buy-in to the system but he also has to up his game.
If Zappe plays on Monday and plays well, I think you have to keep playing him because you could easily be traveling on the road to play a 5-2 Jets team in a game that actually matters. If Zappe has a three game winning streak throwing for 250+ yards, and has like 6 TD to 1 fake interception, you have to ride that hot hand
It just gives him a shorter leash.
I wonder how good macs numbers would have been if he got to play the two worst defenses in the NFL.
It means we know we have a great back up if anything is to happens to Mac again
I’d like to see Zappe get Bears and Jets and Mac get Colts and Jets. That would be the one part of the schedule that would likely be revealing. If Mac’s first start is against the Jets and the two weeks later he’s playing the Vikings, lots of people are going to say, “see we should have stuck with Zappe,” even though the idea Zappe is going to run circles around this year’s Jet’s is not likely.
To me, what Zappe’s success should mean is that we don’t have to rush Mac back. We can let him get to 100% and lessen the chance for re-aggravation. It’s a great luxury to have.