After bizarre treatment of the quarterback position in Monday night’s blowout loss to the Bears, Patriots coach Bill Belichick confirmed on Thursday that Mac Jones would start on Sunday against the Jets.
“Mac took a full workload yesterday,” Belichick told reporters on Thursday. “I expect him to be fully available here for the game and ready to go.”
When questioned by a reporter if that meant that Jones would start, Belichick replied in the only way he knew how.
“That’s what I just said, isn’t it? He got a full load.”
Belichick later said, “We started the game how we wanted to start it last week and we talked about the way it ended up. This week’s a different week, so different situation. Mac will be the quarterback.”
Jones started for the Patriots on Monday Night Football in his first appearance after suffering a high ankle sprain in September. The offense struggled with Jones as the starter in the early part of the season, as Jones threw two touchdowns to five interceptions before suffering the injury three games into the season. The struggles continued on Monday night, as Jones led the offense on three drives, which resulted in two three-and-outs and an interception in Chicago territory.
Following the turnover, Bailey Zappe took over at quarterback and immediately led the offense on two straight touchdown drives. He struggled throughout the rest of the game though, as the Patriots fell behind and never got themselves back into the game, ultimately falling 33–14. Zappe finished 14-of-22 for 185 yards and one touchdown to two interceptions. Jones went 3-of-6 for 13 yards and one interception.
Belichick told ESPN’s Lisa Salters at halftime that the quarterbacks would rotate in the second half, but only Zappe played in the second half. When asked by reporters why only Zappe played in the second half, Belichick defended his decision by saying that the game got out of hand and he didn’t think putting Jones back in would “be the right thing to do.”
Jones was off the injury report on Wednesday for the first time since suffering the ankle sprain, and barring a change of heart, it sounds like Belichick has Jones tabbed to be the starter once again moving forward.
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