Pre-Game Thread- Bears @ Pats

[captain stone]

If we run the football decently play solid Defense limit our mistakes we can win this.

"can"? You mean Should... This is the Easiest game on the Entire schedule, even more so than the Loins... And for that reason alone Zappy should start Monday night and save Mac for the Jete the following Sunday.

 

[PatsFan2]

Told you all he would be back on Monday.

BB is not going let Zap play when he drafted Jones so high. Harry stayed on this team going on year # 4. Wynn is still here and he has sucked for years.

Point taken: but NOT! if he's making bad reads and throwing picks galore.

 

[Rob0729]

Told you all he would be back on Monday.

BB is not going let Zap play when he drafted Jones so high. Harry stayed on this team going on year # 4. Wynn is still here and he has sucked for years.

Really?!? Half the board is arguing that Belichick will go with Zappe because Belichick benched Bledsoe after he came back from injury despite giving him an $100 million contract prior to the season to play a second year sixth round pick who was winning games. You are arguing that Belichick feels Zappe is better than Mac, but will pay Mac because he is a first round pick because Belichick kept Harry for three years (he was traded before his fourth year)?!? You Zappe supporters need to get your arguments straight.

Belichick has shown in the past he will play the players he feels are the best players. He got rid of the first pick in the second round after two seasons (Ras I Dowling). Cyrus Jones was a second round pick who only played a little over two seasons with the Pats (granted he was injured his second season). He let go of Chad Jackson after two years. First rounder, Domique Easly was gone after two years.

If he goes with Jones over Zappe, it is because he feels that Jones is the better QB plain and simple. Not because he drafted Jones in the first round.

 

[jdlboot14]

Huge mistake to rush Mac back for this winnable game. This will seriously backfire if he has another turnover laden game and the Pats lose a close 18-16 defensive snoozefest.

If his ankle is healthy I hope his eyes have healed too. He needs his eyes to see the wide open tight ends he couldn't see thru the first few weeks of the season.

Hoping for another week of Zappe.

They ain't beating the new improved Jets on the road no matter who starts.

So let's start the healthy QB here on Monday.

Wow, such fear of the Jets out of the gates. "we ain't beating" them?? Come on. They've pulled themselves out of the bottom 10, but pump the breaks a bit. They beat the Steelers & Browns (as we did). They beat the helpless Dolphins post Tua-disaster, and the Poser-Packers that we should have beat @ Lambeau with a first step on the field 3rd string QB. This team is already looking a lot different than the first 3 weeks, I ain't afraid of no Jets.

 

[Tunescribe]

"can"? You mean Should... This is the Easiest game on the Entire schedule, even more so than the Loins... And for that reason alone Zappy should start Monday night and save Mac for the Jete the following Sunday.

Agreed, it won't take a lot of points to beat Chicago. PLUS, it's a short week before the game in Jersey. But I trust whatever BB decides. For instance, maybe Bears defense presents some things for which Mac would be better suited. Or perhaps it's important Mac see some action before what's shaping up to be an important divisional game. From the outside it looks like Zappe playing Monday is a better choice, though.

 

[Guts]

Perfect game for Mac to come back and get his confidence back. The Bears don't pose any threats unless the Patriots **** the bed. With a good win and Mac confidence back we will be ready vs the Jets(which has suddenly become a huge game)

 

[mike_usagisan]

Harry stayed on this team going on year # 4. Wynn is still here and he has sucked for years.

Harry stayed on the team because he was cheap and we could block.

 

[JMC00]

The Bears don't pose any threats unless the Patriots **** the bed

Their defense absolutely does pose a threat if the Mac Jones that we saw in the 1st 3 games is coming back

 

[Guts]

Their defense absolutely does pose a threat if the Mac Jones that we saw in the 1st 3 games is coming back

Of course which is why I said if they **** the bed. I have upmost confidence that the defense will not let Fields score more than 14 points

 

[SHOWTIME15]

The guess is that Zappe will play vs the Bears and Mac will be held out another week or two just to be safe. No need to risk further injury against an easy team like Chicago

 

[PatsFan2]

Really?!? Half the board is arguing that Belichick will go with Zappe because Belichick benched Bledsoe after he came back from injury despite giving him an $100 million contract prior to the season to play a second year sixth round pick who was winning games. You are arguing that Belichick feels Zappe is better than Mac, but will pay Mac because he is a first round pick because Belichick kept Harry for three years (he was traded before his fourth year)?!? You Zappe supporters need to get your arguments straight.

Belichick has shown in the past he will play the players he feels are the best players. He got rid of the first pick in the second round after seasons (Ras I Dowling). Cyrus Jones was a second round pick who only played a little over two seasons with the Pats (granted he was injured his second season). He let go of Chad Jackson after two years. First rounder, Domique Easly was gone after two years.

If he goes with Jones over Zappe, it is because he feels that Jones is the better QB plain and simple. Not because he drafted Jones in the first round.

That's not necessarily true the Rookie Zappe in limited time has played better than the Sophomore Mac. IF Mac struggles Monday Night like he did in Preseason and early on I can't wait to hear from his apologists. This Team is playing very well not only on D but on Offense let's see how they react to him before we anoint him. That said I see it like this with Zappe we have a capable Starter in the wings it's your move Mac.

 

[Triumph]

Point taken: but NOT! if he's making bad reads and throwing picks galore.

21 INTs in 21 games is not picks galore.

All the Greats did it.

 

[Triumph]

Harry stayed on the team because he was cheap and we could block.

And he was a 1st round pick.

 

[Triumph]

Really?!? Half the board is arguing that Belichick will go with Zappe because Belichick benched Bledsoe after he came back from injury despite giving him an $100 million contract prior to the season to play a second year sixth round pick who was winning games. You are arguing that Belichick feels Zappe is better than Mac, but will pay Mac because he is a first round pick because Belichick kept Harry for three years (he was traded before his fourth year)?!? You Zappe supporters need to get your arguments straight.

Belichick has shown in the past he will play the players he feels are the best players. He got rid of the first pick in the second round after two seasons (Ras I Dowling). Cyrus Jones was a second round pick who only played a little over two seasons with the Pats (granted he was injured his second season). He let go of Chad Jackson after two years. First rounder, Domique Easly was gone after two years.

If he goes with Jones over Zappe, it is because he feels that Jones is the better QB plain and simple. Not because he drafted Jones in the first round.

Like BB thought that Stidham would step up. Then he found Cam and thought that he could play. Hoyer was the #2 back up ahead of Zap.

 

[Rob0729]

That's not necessarily true the Rookie Zappe in limited time has played better than the Sophomore Mac. IF Mac struggles Monday Night like he did in Preseason and early on I can't wait to hear from his apologists. This Team is playing very well not only on D but on Offense let's see how they react to him before we anoint him. That said I see it like this with Zappe we have a capable Starter in the wings it's your move Mac.

Again, Zappe is playing a different offense than Jones played to start this season. We haven't seen Jones play in this offense that Zappe has been playing in the last three weeks. Yes, he struggled with a very aggressive vertical offense with crappy o-line that required the TEs to stay in and block all the time. Notice how mostly blocking WR Lil Jordan Humphrey went from being one of the top receivers in terms of reps to being a practice squad player who barely played since Jones went down.

 

[Rob0729]

Like BB thought that Stidham would step up. Then he found Cam and thought that he could play. Hoyer was the #2 back up ahead of Zap.

Cool story, Bro. What does any of this have to do with your assertion that Belichick is going to go with Jones even though he thinks Zappe is better than Jones because Jones is a first round pick and Zappe is a fourth rounder?

Belichick hoped that Stidham was going to step up in rebuilding year that Belichick knew the Pats had little shot of making the playoffs. And guess what? Instead of stubbornly playing Stidham after seeing him struggle in minicamp, he went out and got Cam Newton and started him. This is an example that goes against your thesis.

And of course, Hoyer would be ahead of Zappe. By most accounts and what we saw in preseason, Zappe didn't look ready to be the back up. He was drafted to be Jones' back up as the #2 QB. But Belichick, and most of the world, didn't think he was ready yet.

 

[JayNM]

My thoughts on all this:
Actually entertaining. It's the perfect move for Bill... He plays Mac wanting to prove he can do his job well and smoothing the Zappe whispers; If he can't make it look easy against the Bears, hey, it's the injury,

worst comes to reality (as in, we are losing to the Bears, which is pretty grounded) put Zappe in aftwards - or midgame even - and see how he handles the spotlight and it's less of a discussion of who should be starting.

best case scenario (another blowout) Mac balls out and it's less of a discussion of who should be starting.

If he plays in-between, well, it was always his job but suddenly there is a eager guy wanting to prove his worth. He will either be forced to improve quickly or it will be less of a discussion of who should be starting.

The downside is him destroying the confidence of both players. But we hope for the best here

 

[PatsFan2]

Again, Zappe is playing a different offense than Jones played to start this season. We haven't seen Jones play in this offense that Zappe has been playing in the last three weeks. Yes, he struggled with a very aggressive vertical offense with crappy o-line that required the TEs to stay in and block all the time. Notice how mostly blocking WR Lil Jordan Humphrey went from being one of the top receivers in terms of reps to being a practice squad player who barely played since Jones went down.

One things for sure Jones won't be calling plays in this new controlled Offense: it ain't broke so we won't fix it. Let's see if he can spread the football around like the Rookie Mac and the 2022 Zappe.

 

[Rob0729]

One things for sure Jones won't be calling plays in this new controlled Offense: it ain't broke so we won't fix it. Let's see if he can spread the football around like the Rookie Mac and the 2022 Zappe.

My guess if and when Jones starts (and it sounds like he will be starting Monday night), the offense will be a mix of what has been working the last few weeks with some of the stuff they were trying when Mac was in the starting line up. I expect them to be more vertical with Mac, but I think they will incorporate some of the stuff that has been working like more play action.

 

[PatsFan2]

My guess if and when Jones starts (and it sounds like he will be starting Monday night), the offense will be a mix of what has been working the last few weeks with some of the stuff they were trying when Mac was in the starting line up. I expect them to be more vertical with Mac, but I think they will incorporate some of the stuff that has been working like more play action.

Does he hit Tyquan in stride or does Tyquan have to wait for the football it remains to be seen.