Mac Jones started for the New England Patriots on Monday Night Football against the Chicago Bears, as reported by Jeremy Fowler. Jones was sidelined since late September due to an ankle injury. Backup QB Bailey Zappe played well in his absence, but Jones was ready to roll for this Week 7 affair.

It didn't take long for Zappe to replace Jones, however. After a pair of three-and-outs and an interception, the Patriots subbed in Zappe. The rookie immediately responded with a touchdown drive, throwing the New England crowd into a frenzy.

It was reported on Saturday that Jones took the bulk of QB reps at practice. This certainly suggested that he was on his way to returning on Monday. But this final confirmation on Mac Jones' status will excite Patriots fans.

The contributions of Bailey Zappe should not be overlooked despite Mac Jones' return. Zappe went 51-70 through the air in 3 games for New England. He added 4 touchdowns compared to just 1 interception during that time span. Zappe is fresh off of a tremendous effort against the Cleveland Browns that saw him throw for over 300 yards to go along with a pair of touchdowns.

Bill Belichick and the Patriots have a steady replacement should Jones suffer any form of setback in the future.

Mac Jones had struggled mightily prior to his injury. The QB threw 5 interceptions with just 2 touchdowns through the Patriots' first 3 games of the 2022 regular season. New England is hopeful that he will bounce back following his time off the field.

The Patriots are just 3-3 this year. But they have won back-to-back games in convincing fashion and are beginning to heat up. New England is looking to make it 3 consecutive wins with Mac Jones back under center.