Not quite a QB controversy, but Bailey Zappe has made things interesting with Mac Jones
BOSTON -- Nobody is ever entitled to any job in the National Football League. That has certainly been an axiom that has ruled the way of life in the league forever, and it's not going to change any time soon.
Still, it's unlikely and moderately improbable that the New England Patriots would go ahead and ditch Mac Jones as their No. 1 quarterback. He was their top pick a year ago, their first quarterback pick in the first round since 1993, and his body of work has been very good ever since he won a quarterback competition over Cam Newton as a rookie. That he turned in a three-interception losing performance before having to miss games due to a high ankle sprain is unfortunate timing, but it likely won't cost him his spot atop the quarterback depth chart in New England. That is the rational, most reasonable estimation of the situation in New England.
But that being said ... Bailey Zappe did just about everything he could to make his case to the QB1 for New England.
Making his second career start on Sunday, Zappe was once again unflappable in leading the Patriots to a victory. This time, he topped the 300-yard mark, and he threw a pair of touchdowns without throwing any picks. He completed passes to seven different receivers (plus one to himself), and he helped the Patriots amass 38 points, their highest-single game total this season. That beats out their 29 points scored a week ago against Detroit, when Zappe was also at QB. (That game, though, featured a defensive touchdown by the Patriots.)
There's also this nugget, which will surely tickle famed football history appreciator Bill Belichick:
In the world of talk radio and TV sports debate shows, a look at the basic numbers -- Zappe is 2-0, Mac is 1-2; Zappe has four touchdowns and one pick; Jones has two touchdowns and five picks -- will lead to some feverish arguments about a quarterback controversy in New England. It wouldn't be hard to point out that Zappe had a 300-yard, 2-TD, 0-INT game in just his second career start, while Jones has done that just twice in his 20 career starts.
Realistically, though, that's still unlikely to be the case.
Digging even an inch beyond surface level shows that despite the numbers, Zappe hasn't been doing much more than can or should be expected out of a backup quarterback.
This one going for a 31-yard touchdown pass shows that stats can be deceiving:
This ball to Jonnu Smith was thrown well enough, but it was the effort and ability from Smith after the catch that turned a 17-yard pass into a 53-yard pass:
This 29-yard reception was all about DeVante Parker, not Zappe:
This was also an easy way to add 27 yards to the passing yardage total:
Could you look at any quarterback's passing day and point out moments where some wide-open completions and some big YAC numbers inflated the number? Of course. The point isn't to diminish Zappe's day. The point is merely to look a little bit more closely at what went into the numbers.
It's also worth noting at some point that the Lions have the worst defense in the NFL. The Browns' D is only marginally better. Again, that's not a knock on Zappe for taking advantage of a bad opponent, but it's a fact that adds context to what's taken place in the past two weeks.
And while the 38-point output is evidence of a strong offensive day, it was also fueled by a dominant defensive showing. The Patriots' defense forced three turnovers, picking off Jacoby Brissett twice and strip-sacking Brissett and returning the loose ball to the 8-yard line on another occasion. The first pick led to a field goal drive, the second pick led to a 40-yard touchdown drive, and the recovered fumble led to an 8-yard touchdown drive.
The Patriots' punt team also recovered a muffed punt at the Cleveland 19-yard line, resulting in a one-play touchdown drive for the Patriots. (And if a Browns player hadn't needlessly touched the Cleveland onside kick while having a foot out of bounds when the Patriots had scored just 24 points, the end of the game could have been a smidge different for all parties.)
The New England offense was also far from a well-oiled machine, with Zappe taking three penalties (two delays of game, one intentional grounding), and four false starts being called against New England.
Zappe's strip-sack can be forgiven, as playing behind Isaiah Wynn has proven to be a hazard for any Patriots quarterback this season. Yet a lot of the highlights involved plays where not a whole lot was asked from the quarterback.
That being said, some of Zappe's best plays were ones that won't make the highlight reels. Early in the fourth quarter, with the Patriots facing a third-and-5 near midfield, Zappe escaped from the pocket, ran to his right, and delivered a strike on the money to Rhamondre Stevenson for a 6-yard gain that moved the chains and -- equally importantly -- kept the clock running. On the next snap, on a first-and-15 (following a false start), Zappe comfortably climbed the pocket, waiting for Tyquan Thornton to get open on a crossing route before delivering yet another first-down strike.
Those weren't the biggest plays of the game, but they were winning plays. And they won't be ignored when the coaches review the film.
All of which brings us to the present, and the future. Is there a quarterback controversy in New England?
The answer still feels like no. But there is this: As Jones inches closer and closer to being able to play, Zappe's ability to handle some pressure-packed moments in his 11 quarters of NFL action might be able to buy the Patriots another two weeks of healing for Jones' ankle. While the Patriots would never say so publicly, the reality is that the Chicago Bears are a very bad football team. The Bears rank 29th in offense -- both in yards and points -- and they just put forth one of the most painful offensive performances in the history of prime-time television.
With the way the Patriots' defense has been playing, and with the way Zappe has been solid at the most important position on the field, the team should feel comfortable in its ability to beat the Bears at home next Monday night without Jones. Even if Jones is healthy enough to play, he almost certainly won't be fully healthy. Letting Zappe start an extremely winnable game vs. the Bears while giving Jones an extra couple of weeks without contact or extreme pressure on his healing ankle seems to be an ideal situation for the Patriots in both the short term and the long term.
How exactly it will all play out, we won't know until next Monday night. If Bill Belichick does lay out a plan in the coming days, he certainly won't volunteer it to anyone on the outside of his meeting rooms. And with Jones making the trip to Cleveland and remaining a possibility to play until 90 minutes before kickoff on Sunday, it's a safe assumption that he won't be ruled out next week until pregame -- if he's ruled out at all. Perhaps he'll start the game, perhaps he'll be Zappe's somewhat healthy backup, or perhaps he'll be inactive for a third straight week.
Whatever the Patriots decide, there's still no real indication that Zappe has stolen Jones' job. There is plenty of evidence, though, that Zappe is more than capable of doing that job for at least one more week.
