A quarterback who registers an incompletion on every play records an NFL passer rating of 39.6. That’s really bad. New England Patriots field generals Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe combined to post a 33.4 rating in Sunday’s 10-7 loss to the Giants, with a collective line of 21-for-35 passing for 136 yards, 0 TDs and three INTs.
The man with the middle name McCorkle accounted for the greater share of futility:
Mac Jones’s passer rating is 27.8. If he were 0 for 21 with all 21 passes spiked directly into the ground, it would be 39.6 pic.twitter.com/P2EfBEUGr6
— Ben Volin (@BenVolin) November 26, 2023
But I don’t know what Bill Belichick and Bill O’Brien believe will change by yanking Mac out in the middle of a game.
They decided to turn to Zappe at halftime once Mac did this:
55-YARD INT RETURN 😤
📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/KmQ0ahyh1S
— New York Giants (@Giants) November 26, 2023
…Which set up the only touchdown for the G-Men of the afternoon. Mac proceeded to go three-and-out on his last full possession thereafter. ZAPPE TIME, BABY!
Yeah, Zappe provided a brief spark and led the Pats on a TD drive the first time he got the ball. Beyond that? A whole lot of nothing. To his credit, when he gave the ball away to New York, at least Zappe didn’t throw into quadruple coverage like he did to end New England’s hopes of a win in Germany. It was only triple coverage.
McKinney with an easy INT, baits Zappe and drives on this pass, another turnover for the Giants' defense #NYG pic.twitter.com/GqyCqP2HD1
— Alex Wilson (@AlexWilsonESM) November 26, 2023
Mac Jones 🤝 Bailey Zappe pic.twitter.com/sIIhqBJNKb
— Action Network (@ActionNetworkHQ) November 26, 2023
These guys are garbage. Bill O’Brien’s scheme is absolute garbage. Bill Belichick’s knowledge of modern offensive football is evidently garbage.
And by “garbage” I mean leachate that’s gone through the filters of used baby diapers, coffee ground remains, and an open-faced, expired jar of sour cream.
Air yards of Bailey Zappe's completions so far today:
-3
-5
-4
5
1
-3
-2— Zack Cox (@ZackCoxNESN) November 26, 2023
“The Patriot Way” is a LMAO myth at this point. Tom Brady was the system for at least the final 15 years of that dynasty.
Patriots games with 7 or fewer points
This season 4
Tom Brady's 283 starts 5 pic.twitter.com/mPGhtKKww7— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) November 26, 2023
Belichick used to shut down first- and second-year quarterbacks. There’s some stat out there that underscores just how dominant his defenses are against such green signal-callers.
Undrafted rookie Giants QB Tommy DeVito took six sacks, got little help from his Saquon Barkley-led rushing attack and still completed 17 of 25 passes for 191 yards and a TD for a 103.9 passer rating. Miles better than the Mac/Zappe dynamic duo.
Before today, these were the only rookie QBs to defeat Belichick (never mind Brad Smith). Tommy DeVito is the first undrafted rookie to defeat Belichick pic.twitter.com/PTbmfUs25X
— Ben Volin (@BenVolin) November 26, 2023
The Hoodie was his typical life-hating self at the podium afterwards. Yeah, Bill. Better not give away any strategic advantage for next week by giving anyone any idea who you’re starting under center!
Bill Belichick on if Bailey Zappe will start next Sunday vs. the Chargers:
"We just finished the game."
— Mike Kadlick (@mikekadlick) November 26, 2023
Another funny Belichick quote:
Bill Belichick on Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe playing quarterback on Sunday:
"I think they both deserved to play."
— Mike Kadlick (@mikekadlick) November 26, 2023
Yeah, Mac and Zappe both deserved to play, because both of them are awful quarterbacks in their own unique ways. Not that their coaching staff is doing them any favors. I think there’s a reason for that.
New England is in full tank mode. You can’t tell me they actually tried to make this kick. There’s no way.
Giants win on the Patriots missed field goal. #NEvsNYG pic.twitter.com/7VY2vqmDBz
— NFL (@NFL) November 26, 2023
I am buying a Chad Ryland jersey immediately
Greatest miss in the history of the New England Patriots
— Football (@BostonConnr) November 26, 2023
The only way Belichick keeps his job is by bottoming out, convincing Robert Kraft that he’ll draft the next superstar QB, and…OK that’s the plan. That’s it. Everyone sees right through it, Billy. You ain’t fooling anyone. Or the game has just passed you by that much.
To be honest, might be a bit of both, no?
mac jones when it comes to tanking pic.twitter.com/bp1N0ZZHgM
— Annie Agar (@AnnieAgar) November 26, 2023
Mac Jones is the greatest Tank Commander I have ever seen. pic.twitter.com/LP5J2D9jGs
— Trev Reporteraport (@incredelman_11) November 26, 2023
I'm starting to think Bill Belichick is still playing Mac Jones as a middle finger both to Jones and to ownership.
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) November 26, 2023
Mac Jones is out here literally just handing out a win to the #Giants with that horrific INT you see criticized at the high school level. His second INT of the game.
Plus Bill O'Brien with some ODD play calling, to say the least. 2nd & 4 and he passes twice in the red zone?— Dan Schneier (@DanSchneierNFL) November 26, 2023
Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe today pic.twitter.com/2AxagWe0R3
— NFL Memes (@NFL_Memes) November 26, 2023
When the Patriots are 2-9 and closer to that #1 pick: pic.twitter.com/zj1VfHyZ9g
— Michael McCorkle Jones (@jussaSportsGuy) November 26, 2023
Bailey Zappe holding down the tank pic.twitter.com/QyTD2symDQ
— TCL (@TitleTalkTCL) November 26, 2023
Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe returning home to thunderous applause pic.twitter.com/3TCm9KiNbY
— Boston Diehards (@Boston_Diehards) November 26, 2023





