Beleaguered quarterback Mac Jones appears inexplicably poised to reassume the New England Patriots' starting quarterback role despite being pulled in the deciding minutes of the team's Week 10 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. Jones took the first QB reps during the media portion of today's Patriots practice, according to Mark Daniels of MassLive.

In addition, Patriots fans eager to see the team's as-yet-unseen third-string quarterback Will Grier are unlikely to get their wish any time soon. Grier looked on from the sidelines while Jones and Zappe rotated warm-up drills, Chad Graff of The Athletic reported.

The saga that is New England's 2023 offense may eventually be looked back upon as among the messiest disasters in NFL history. The Patriots' 141 points are the fewest among all teams this season, while their mark of 14.1 points per game ranks above only the equally stagnant New York Giants', who average just 13.5.

Despite allegations of an aging scheme and organizational failure to modernize to current NFL philosophies, the Patriots' troubles begin and end at quarterback. Jones has been pulled and replaced by Zappe in three of  New England's 10 games this season. Turnovers in crucial moments, a slew of ill-advised passes and total dysfunction on third down have been calling cards of the Patriots' offense.

Jones' 80.2 passer rating ranks 26th in the NFL, while his 10 interceptions trail only Josh Allen and Sam Howell, who each have 12. The turmoil has led many to believe that the Mac Jones Era in New England must come to a merciful end.

The Patriots' 2-8 record currently has them slated to pick third in the 2024 NFL Draft—a place where Patriots fans desperately hope to see a new franchise quarterback emerge.