Patriots Make Decision On Starting Quarterback Vs. Chargers

The New England Patriots are gearing up for the game against the Los Angeles Chargers. Head coach Bill Belichick made some changes ahead of the game and one of them is related to quarterback Mac Jones. Everything points to the fact that Jones won’t be a starting quarterback for the game between the Patriots and Chargers.

Bailey Zappe and Bill O'Brien have a walk and talk at the media access portion of #Patriots practice today 🏈 pic.twitter.com/E6wuRu7n7H

— The Camera Guys (@NBCSCameraGuys) November 30, 2023

League sources say that Bailey Zappe is getting ready to take the starting position in Week 13. Jones’ obvious struggles forced Belichick to make a decision. Zappe promised to deliver a great performance if given a chance. Well, he is about to get one. Belichick has already benched Jones in his favor.

Zappe and Malik Cunningham took practice reps on Wednesday. Zappe said it was a “great practice.” Tom Curran from NBC Sports Boston reported that Zappe said, “I’m going to the podium tomorrow.”

Pretty wild that in Mac Jones' 1st game vs the Cowboys, he had a 118.9 rating and took Dak to OT, but Belichick punted on 4th & 3 and he couldn't close the game

In the 2nd game, years of minimal support broke the dam, and he started to spiral in his first benching this season pic.twitter.com/2Ms86nYRAY

— Taylor Kyles (@tkyles39) November 30, 2023

Zappe to be the next starting quarterback for the Patriots?

Albert Breer from Sports Illustrated likes the idea of seeing Zappe at starter. He even suggested that Belichick makes Jones inactive for the game.

“I don’t think they should give him a jersey on Sunday,” Breer said during NBC Sports Boston’s “Boston Sports Tonight” on Wednesday. “I think Malik Cunningham, Will Grier, whoever you want to be the backup, have them be the backup.

“If the idea here is what’s best for Mac Jones — very clearly the guy has the yips. It looks like he needs to sit down and reset a little bit. So if you’re gonna bench the guy, don’t give him a jersey.”

Jones struggled in his second and third year with the Patriots. His interceptions keep pouring like a rain and he doesn’t look like a franchise quarterback for the Patriots.

“Teams make this mistake way too many times where they take the guy who needs to sit down and they make him the backup, and then all of a sudden the starter gets hurt and you’re throwing the guy out there,” Breer added.

“You’ve defeated the purpose of the whole thing. So if the idea here is to sit down Mac Jones, make him pay for the last few weeks and give him a little bit of a reset, the right thing to do is to make him inactive on Sunday.”