I'm intrigued by Zappe and I think Mac needs to find the place he was in his development prior to this year, then clear all the cobwebs out of his head about what he doesn't like and who he doesn't want to throw to, and try to acclimate to what we're doing now. He's shown no signs of getting it to date.
Reports are that he's got the start, but "reports" mean nothing until the game. I'm sort of hoping that he won't. But I also have no desire to see "He'll start" becomming 3 series then Zappe again.
One excuse I've seen is that because he threw so many int.s, the present emphasis on ball security is handcuffing the poor guy. Well I guess. But if that's the solution to a ball security issue, why don't we let the fumble-prone backs on the field? The putative answer is the great rarity of turning up the next franchise QB. But that still puts us in a position where once again, the better QB is on the bench, at least to open the game, if reports are to be believed. Then Zappe gets to go into games having not taken first team reps.
I'm all kinds of patient with the long term concept of Mac Jones, but something is not yet working this season. Part of me says don't humiliate him or the team any further. If it's practice time for Mac, in full regular season games, fine. In Bill I trust. I guess. But my bare minimum is that any lingering knee discomfort not be there.
I guess I lobbied for the short leash and I got it. Now I see people saying, okay, you have a QB controversy and it's your own damn fault, Bill Belichick.
Question though, taking the other position: If we are not ready to play him all game, isn't it a dumb move to put him in a few series until he's certified sub-par, then put Zappe in, without proper prep -- pretty much making it more likely they both fail?
I'd like to see a fan poll of
- Play Mac until Zappe is needed, vs.
- Play Mac all game, no matter the outcome, vs.
- Play Zappe all game, no matter the outcome.
I think door #3 is, right now, the most appealing.
Everybody is saying there's no lingering injury issue. (Another way to say, "oh this year he just sucks.") Great, let the October preseason re-commence. I mean, we did use a high draft pick on him. I'm okay with accepting the logic that this season is extended occupational therapy for Mac, because he was such a good draft pick we have to hang with him.
But I'm sorry, I lost my religion with the idea that we'll start him to win football games when Zappe came in and hit two quick scores.
Right now, he's just the better QB. I could believe all sorts of stories until that point about how the mighty mighty Bears were now 12 feet tall and bulletproof just for this game, but we saw the uptick with our own eyes. True, our D fell apart, theirs got it together, and the rout resumed in the second half.
But the main point is, the Pats thought that sticking with the Mac choice was too embarassing (whether for him or for the team is anybody's guess.)
Who in here thinks Mac Jones is suddenly going to show his rookie season form with the start against the JETE?
Is the remainder of the season just glorified occupational therapy for Mac Jones?
Who thinks the coaches are seeing him excel in practice, but he just happens to be unable to perform when actually playing? ("I swear this has never happened to me before...")
Look in your respective hearts, think about the moment of the Zappe swappe on Monday, and tell me: Do you think that Mac Jones is ready for a statement game -- or for that matter, a competent one?
I post this from the heart, fully aware that the moment I make a prescriptive statement about roster decisions, I am almost always wrong. In fact, that's a bonus. If I say Mac is destined to suck, curse broken.
In fact, I am almost counting on it. If I go all "Sit his first-round pro-bowl buttocks down," I just assume he's throwing for 4 TDs and 350.
I'm afraid I don't feel that we'll see that, or anything close to it. Given the "always wrong" aspect, though, I guess my private crisis of faith should fill you all with confidence in another MJ start.
