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Patriots bench Mac Jones for Bailey Zappe during first half of Patriots-Bears
After fans chanted his name, Bailey Zappe replaced Mac Jones in the second quarter.
After intense pregame speculation, the Patriots’ quarterback controversy roared back to life during the matchup with the Bears on Monday night despite Mac Jones’ return from injury.
Jones, making his first appearance since exiting at the end of a Week 3 loss to the Ravens due to an ankle injury, started for New England against Chicago.
Yet when the Bears jumped out to a 10-0 lead and the Patriots’ offense sputtered on its first three possessions (including a second-quarter interception from Jones), Bill Belichick made a switch at quarterback.
Bailey Zappe, the rookie fourth-round pick who led New England to two straight wins in Jones’ absence, entered the game.
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His entrance was preceded by a round of “Zappe” chants from Patriots fans at Gillette Stadium:
Zappe immediately sparked the Patriots’ offense, finding a wide-open Rhamondre Stevenson on a third down.
He then found another open target (wide receiver Jakobi Meyers) for a 30-yard touchdown pass.
Following a Justin Fields interception on the ensuing Bears’ drive, New England got the ball back to Zappe.
He responded with yet another touchdown drive, highlighted by DeVante Parker’s impressive grab:
At the end of a wild sequence lasting less than four minutes of game clock, New England went from having Jones at quarterback and trailing 10-0 to Zappe leading the Patriots to a 14-10 lead.
Zappe even found time to sign along with the Gillette Stadium music:
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