By Vikram Bansal
Fans and pundits were excited and optimistic about 2nd-year quarterback Mac Jones with a revamped offense and an intriguing defensive depth chart. Then the season kicked off, the Patriots went 1-3 but the same giddy hope of a successful playoff-berthed season remained, sort of.
And then Jones went down against the Ravens, limping off the field in Foxborough with a severe high ankle sprain. Second string quarterback Brian Hoyer quickly suffered a concussion against the Packers in Week 5 and Bailey Zappe´s career with the team was born.
Rewind.
The first two weeks of the season featured a very poor offensive showcase by the Patriots, who put up a mere seven points in a losing effort against Miami before performing better in a 17-14 win against Pittsburgh.
The following week to round out September was against the Baltimore Ravens, and the Pats offense actually moved the ball extremely well. Highlighted by newly-acquired receiver DeVante Parker’s 156-yard performance, the Patriots put up 26 but couldn’t keep up in a 26-37 loss headlined with Mac Jones´ injury.
In the first game without Jones, in came 4th-round rookie Bailey Zappe after Hoyer departed. Zappe managed the game, but the defense played a tremendous game against the Packers offense.
Fourth-round rookie defensive back Jack Jones played exceptionally, forcing a fumble and returning an interception for a touchdown to close out the first half with a 10-7 Patriots lead. The Pats performed admirably, but lost in overtime 24-27 to a 31-year field goal as time expired.
Zappe got the next two starts against the Lions and the Browns.
The Patriots showcased the throwback red “Pat Patriot” uniforms at home against a Lions offense averaging 35 points-per-game. New England proceeded to tar-and-feather Detroit on all sides of the ball in a 29-0 beatdown that featured another Jack Jones interception and a defensive touchdown on a strip-sack of Lions QB Jared Goff.
Zappe completed 17 of 21 pass attempts and threw another touchdown to Jakobi Meyers, while second-year running back Rhamondre Stevenson compiled 175 yards from scrimmage.
At Cleveland, the Pats dominated again in a 38-15 win that featured four second-half touchdowns. Zappe looked much more comfortable in the offense and spread the ball well, with four Patriots having at least 60 receiving yards and Zappe himself finished with over 300 pass yards and two touchdowns. Second-round rookie Tyquan Thornton had two touchdowns on the day including a 19-yard end-around touchdown run to put the Patriots up 31-15 with 4:30 left in the 4th quarter.
With Mac Jones returning to practice much sooner than expected, it’s quite likely that head coach Bill Belichick is simply waiting for Zappe to play poorly before reinstating Jones.
For now, we will settle with the greater New England area hailing Zappe as the next Tom Brady the way Jones had been during his impressive 2021 season.
The Patriots could be looking at their second season of starting 1-3 before ripping off a long win streak in October and November.
They go up against the lowly Bears before facing an up-and-coming Jets team, an inconsistent Colts squad, the Jets again and a tough Vikings roster on Thanksgiving in prime time before hosting the Super Bowl hopeful Buffalo Bills on December 1 at Gillette Stadium.
While the Patriots may not expect to be at their level yet, there is some reason to believe that the team could make a playoff push: the AFC is significantly weaker than expected and if the Pats can simply do their job and win the games they should win, a return to the playoffs could be in store.