BOSTON — The Patriots hit their bye week at 2-8 with loads of questions on the roster. The most important query facilities on an important place on the sphere: Will Mac Jones be the group's beginning quarterback in Week 12?
Jones was benched for the third time this season late in New England's 10-6 loss to the Colts in Germany on Sunday, with one other horrible interception within the pink zone ending his day. The Patriots are actually 0-8 once they throw a tip this season and 2-0 once they don't.
Even Mac Jones defenders are having a tough time envisioning him because the quarterback when the Patriots return from their bye week to face the New York Giants in New Jersey on Nov. 26. Former Patriots tight finish Christian Fauria had Mac's again by means of the quarterback's three-year profession, however he's prepared for the group to maneuver on with another person.
“I believe the experiment is over. I believe you've seen sufficient,” Fauria mentioned on WBZ-TV's Sunday Evening Sports activities Finale. “Whether or not it's his fault, Matt Patricia's fault, Invoice O'Brien's fault, the offensive line's fault, I don't suppose you’ll be able to play him anymore. At the very least within the brief time period.”
The Patriots failed to seek out the top zone for the third recreation this season on Sunday and have now gone 17 straight with no landing. Jones additionally leads the NFL with 10 interceptions, and that quantity might have been even increased with a number of close to misses in opposition to the Colts in Germany.
“When you're dwelling on the sting like he’s, finally you're going to fall. And I really feel like that's what's taking place,” Fauria mentioned. “You simply can't play him anymore, and when you're a participant on this group, I don't wish to see him there anymore. I really feel prefer it's disrespectful to him in any respect.”
So who might Invoice Belichick begin in two weeks? Bailey Zappe changed Jones for the third time this season on Sunday, however the recreation ended when he threw his personal interception right into a cluster of Colts defenders at midfield. He doesn't appear to have a lot religion in Foxboro after the group minimize Zappe a season in the past. The Patriots performed musical chairs behind Jones on the depth chart all yr, as Malik Cunningham seemed just like the group's No. 2 QB at one level.
Sunday's emergency third baseman Will Grier is an fascinating possibility, however he's solely been with the group since late September and hasn't performed a significant NFL recreation since 2019. But when the Patriots preserve issues extraordinarily vanilla on offense in opposition to the Giants, New England followers could get their first have a look at a 3rd baseman.
“It's both Grier or Zappe. I believe they form of know what Zappe is and also you noticed that late within the recreation. Possibly Grier is a darkish horse candidate. He's been within the system lengthy sufficient and the scheme goes to be actually easy.” Fauria mentioned. “The Giants are simply as unhealthy as you’re with none quarterback. So you’ll be able to run the identical recreation plan you noticed.” [in Week 10] the place the run, run, play motion go, don't throw interceptions and simply take the sack. Make easy video games.
“You possibly can't begin Mac Jones anymore. He's a shell of himself,” Fauria concluded.
What does Fauria take into consideration Invoice Belichick's rapid and long-term future with the group? Watch the video above for Dan Roche's full chat with the previous Patriots tight finish and tune in to the Sports activities Finals each Sunday evening at 11:35pm on WBZ-TV!
