Rookie quarterback Bailey Zappe was suited up for his first NFL game ever on Sunday. By the New England Patriots' third offensive drive against the Green Bay Packers, he was in the game.

Brian Hoyer, who was filling in for an injured Mac Jones, injured his head when he was sacked on New England's final play of its second drive, meaning the rookie was set to have his NFL debut against a Super Bowl-contending team not just on the road, but in the legendary Lambeau Field.

Zappe did what many would've hoped a mid-round rookie quarterback would've done under those circumstances. He provided the Patriots a steady hand, completing 10-of-15 passes for 99 yards in what ended up being a 27-24 loss to the Packers.

Zappe broke down how the day went for him, saying he believed he got better as the game went along.

“Of course, it was exciting, the first opportunity to play in an NFL game,” Zappe said. “Obviously not the outcome we wanted at all, First, I want to give credit to all my teammates. They kept me calm. They kept me – getting the nerves out of me. They kept me in my space and cool, calm, and collected. Everybody played well. O-line played. We ran the ball well. The game comes down to just a couple of plays and the game comes out differently.”

Bailey Zappe certainly looked a bit more comfortable as the game went along. His biggest mistake of the day came in his final snap of the first half when he was strip-sacked and lost the fumble. But on the Patriots' first drive of the second half, he threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to DeVante Parker on a play-action pass, connecting with the veteran receiver on a crossing route.

“I felt comfortable with that play,” Zappe said. “We all talked about it on the sideline, came out there, and executed it well. I got to play some pitch and catch with the receivers. We were able to execute that play.”

Zappe admitted that throwing his first touchdown pass “felt good in the moment.” But he added that “once that moment was over, I was ready for the next play and get going.”

The Patriots looked ready to go on their ensuing offensive drive. After the Packers kicked a field goal to tie the game at 17-17 right before the end of the third quarter, Zappe helped the Patriots score a touchdown on a seven-play, 77-yard drive. While he wasn't responsible for the touchdown, Zappe completed a big 21-yard pass to Nelson Agholor earlier in the series to get the Patriots into scoring range.

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That ended up being the last time the Patriots would score though on Sunday. Zappe and New England got a chance in overtime when it got the ball at its 49-yard line. Even though they needed only a field goal to win, the Patriots didn't capitalize on the situation as they went three-and-out with Zappe throwing an incomplete pass on the third down play.

The Packers made sure the Patriots didn't get the ball back, driving down the field to set Mason Crosby up for a chip-shot 31-yard field goal attempt as time expired.

Zappe explained the frustration about being unable to score considering the opportunity and losing in a close game.

“Of course, losing a game is always the worst thing,” Zappe said. “Everybody will look back and look at the things that we could have done differently. I feel like we played well as a team tonight. O-line played well. Receivers played well. Running backs ran well.

“Of course, there are things we’re gonna see tomorrow that we can look back at and say, ‘If we did this differently,’ and there’s things personally for me that, you know, if I’d make a throw or I’d do something differently, the outcome’s different. But that’s the good thing about football. You always have the next game.”

With his first NFL game past him, Zappe is ready to move forward. He could end up being the Patriots' starting quarterback against the Lions next week as Jones and Hoyer's injury timelines are unknown.

Whether he gets the start or not, Zappe said he knows what to do the next time he steps onto the field.

“Just to continue to do my job, get the ball to playmakers, let them do what they do best out in space and continue to stay cool, calm and collected back there and run the offense and, really, just do the best I can for the team,” Zappe said.