“Right now, everybody’s counting him out. I’m sure there’s a lot of negativity.“
For the third time in 10 games this season, Mac Jones was relegated to the bench in the closing minutes.
With less than two minutes to go in regulation, Bill Belichick opted to put the ball in Bailey Zappe’s hands for a potential game-winning drive against the Colts — giving the second-year QB his first snaps since Week 5 at a critical stage of a must-win game in Germany.
Belichick’s sudden roster reshuffle was not unwarranted, especially with Jones knocked for a brutal backfoot throw that resulted in an interception on the Colts’ two-yard line.
Jones’ lapses in decision-making and errant throws have often cost New England in crucial spots throughout the 2023 season, with Jones now leading the NFL with 10 picks through 10 games.
As expected, Belichick did not elaborate much on the decision to pull Jones from the game in favor of Zappe following New England’s eventual 10-6 loss.
“I just thought it was time for a change,” New England’s coach said.
Patriots players were also asked about Jones’ latest benching and the long-term ramifications of such a move.
Several Patriots captains opted to take a page out of Belichick’s book when asked about Jones’ latest stint on the bench.
