Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots finally welcomed the return of franchise quarterback Mac Jones after a three-game absence due to ankle problems. However, Jones proceeded to struggle in his first game back against the Chicago Bears, throwing an interception and drawing jeers from the home crowd at Gillette Stadium. Belichick then proceeded to put Bailey Zappe into the game and the rookie immediately impacted the game, throwing a touchdown pass in his very first drive.
Nonetheless, the Patriots still ended up losing the game to the Bears, 33-14, even if Zappe played better than Jones (the bar to clear wasn't that high to begin with). And now, questions regarding the Patriots' perplexing situation at quarterback still abound, with Belichick having to deal with the fallout of the situation with the media the day after.
Speaking with reporters during his morning press conference, Bill Belichick refused to make a stern declaration regarding who his preferred starting quarterback is in light of recent performances.
“Uhhh, again, that's a hypothetical question. Let's see where that is and what that is,” Belichick answered, when asked whether Mac Jones would be deemed the starter when he's healthy, according to Andrew Siciliano of NFL Network.
Clearly Bill Belichick answered that way since Jones obviously has not recovered fully from his lower body injuries – at least not enough to the point where he's fit to play the whole four quarters, interception or not.
“Well, that didn't happen. So, that's another hypothetical question,” Belichick said when questioned whether Mac Jones would have finished the game had he been 100 percent.
With the Patriots falling to 3-4, it'd be wise for Belichick to take his sweet time in assessing his players' performances. For all the buzz that Bailey Zappe generated, he still only completed 14 out of 22 passes for a grand total of 185 yards, throwing two interceptions in the process. Meanwhile, Jones has drawn rave reviews from pundits and trainers alike, including Tom House, who praised Jones' throwing prowess.
Patriots fans shouldn't forget too that Mac Jones, only 24 years old, was a Pro Bowler in his rookie season, and led the team to a 10-7 record even if they lost to the Buffalo Bills in the Wild Card round. In an industry that's focused on what players have done for the team lately, Belichick is, perhaps, being shrewd in not making any hasty declarations regarding his squad.
Bill Belichick has been here before. And if there's anyone to trust regarding crucial roster decisions, it's the man who's led the franchise to six Super Bowl rings.
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