Who is ready for an 8-2 run and some playoffs?

[Real fan 02]

Mac was “good” for two thirds of a season in 2021 then regressed. We wrote it off as the rookie wall.

He didn’t improve the very next season, he was in danger of being benched before he got hurt against the Ravens and getting hurt saved his butt.

Zappe came in the played near flawlessly as a starter and went 2-0. I said then BB should stay with the hot hand and he should have. But Mac got his job back after hearing Gillette chant Zappe’s name and stopped turning the ball over. He still was really average and eventually became turnover prone to end the season.

Mac was his average self for the first two games this season, then fell off a cliff. The entire football watching world besides Dan Orlovsky and Mac truthers pointed this out.

When has Mac been great, not merely average or good but great? He’s been bad a lot more than he’s been great. He hasn’t developed or improved, he’s the same player he was as a rookie.

No one here posting is proclaiming that Mac is the answer or can elevate the team. I'm just looking at the entire picture in high definition. Mac as a rookie was good. Then 2022 happened the coaching, the issues with BB, everything the herald reported about the team. All that has affected him. The entire team has regressed in each of the past 3 seasons.

So I've said at this point what is the reason Mac is still here? Why keep him if he isn't any good? May as well just give him a fresh start elsewhere with an offensive minded coach and a team with guys around him to see his full potential. It's not happening here for him. Now his best of worst #1 WR KB is gone at this point just trade him.. but the team won't. They would rather keep him.. and pay the small dollars than get a veteran.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Problem with inserting Zappe, even still, its that you can't go back to Mac. It's gonna kill his confidence and might cause even more locker room turmoil

Plus, based on reports, it's just seem that Zappe doesnt have what Mac is missing. Let's not forget he was so bad in TC that he got cut

It also wouldn’t really be fair to Mac that he played the gauntlet portion of the schedule and someone else gets the easier portion. I agree with your idea of maybe making a move once we are mathematically out and the offense still hasn’t made progress. I doubt it would happen though judging by how bb let cam play all of December in the 2020 season for no reason.

 

[captain stone]

Go Commandos!

 

[JayNM]

Mac is why they’re losing, there’s no downside. That’s like saying you can’t bench or trade N’Keal Harry, he’ll lose his confidence.

QBs are a special position in Football, i don't think this comparison is very fair.

Mac is part of why they are losing, I agree though

The downside is they find out nothing about the offense as a whole without our best QB who is Mac Jones playing out the string. Playing out the string shouldn't mean the games have no value.

I don't know how you can be certain of this... At the very least we will find out that Zappe, too, is not the answer, with more certainty. Not to mention that, when a new QB enters, the game play must be reviewed to better fit his playstile...

I don't expect **** to become caviar, but in chemistry for example, if you change one element or just the order, the whole composition changes. You just don't know

Your point at end, I can respect it. I for one will never, ever, support tanking. But being risky and experimental? That I can get down with.

PS - I learned about the expression "playing out of the string" here, thanks

It also wouldn’t really be fair to Mac that he played the gauntlet portion of the schedule and someone else gets the easier portion. I agree with your idea of maybe making a move once we are mathematically out and the offense still hasn’t made progress. I doubt it would happen though judging by how bb let cam play all of December in the 2020 season for no reason.

Fair points. You never know too, with everybody expecting him to **** the bed even against bad team, a switch might go off. Unlikely, but weirder things have happened in the world.

We'll see, plenty of football left in the season, for better or worse.

 

[ALP]

lol Zappe showed that he is same crap as Mac, its not like he did not had chances to play and shine, but always nice to have the hopes up for a QB down the pack order will be next Tom Brady while the chances for that are probably 0.00000001%

Zappe is not better than Mac, he is on his best day at the level of an average Mac Jones and due to being 5feet small he will get 10 batted passes per qtr

how many games has Mac started?

how many has Zappe started?

that right there shows easily that zappe most definitely has not had the opportunity to show anything, good or bad

 

[sb1]

At the very least we will find out that Zappe, too, is not the answer,

He was awful in camp. Couldn't handle running an NFL level offense in the preseason. Couldn't beat Mac for the job. Bill and the coaches see this guy in practice every day...he cut him anyway and 31 other teams said no when they could have had him for free. And they were already aware of his "2-0 record last year".

Not sure what more we need to find out. He's not a viable QB at the NFL level.

Ride it out with Mac, cut Zappe and Grier and let's bring in some real competition for Mac this winter, whether it's a high draft pick or a FA.

 

[JayNM]

He was awful in camp. Couldn't handle running an NFL level offense in the preseason. Couldn't beat Mac for the job. Bill and the coaches see this guy in practice every day...he cut him anyway and 31 other teams said no when they could have had him for free. And they were already aware of his "2-0 record last year".

Not sure what more we need to find out. He's not a viable QB at the NFL level.

Ride it out with Mac, cut Zappe and Grier and let's bring in some real competition for Mac this winter, whether it's a high draft pick or a FA.

Im all for everything you sayin

But time is the factor here no? The same way we don't know if Mac can/will click, same is for Zappe.

But im all for giving Mac 14, 15, 16 chances this season, as many games as BB wants.

If he doesnt show any improvement until then, personally, i see no reason to give Zappe one more shot in a final, "meaningless" game

 

[sb1]

Your point at end, I can respect it. I for one will never, ever, support tanking. But being risky and experimental? That I can get down with.

Makes sense. I also don't think tanking at least from the angle of losing games "on purpose" happens in the NFL. There's no benefit at all to the "tankers", once the season ends the coaches likely get fired and a chunk of the roster is shown the door. The "tank" year is on their NFL track record permanently and I can't imagine that's a good thing.

 

[sb1]

Im all for everything you sayin

But time is the factor here no? The same way we don't know if Mac can/will click, same is for Zappe.

But im all for giving Mac 14, 15, 16 chances this season, as many games as BB wants.

If he doesnt show any improvement until then, personally, i see no reason to give Zappe one more shot in a final, "meaningless" game

Maybe that will happen. Or it will be the same as the Stidham questions at the end of 2020. Bill knew Stidham was out the door so why bother with that.

With that said... if Stidham was still here I absolutely would give him a shot. He's a very different QB than Mac. More mobile and a big arm. Zappe is the same kind of QB as Mac but inferior.

 

[JayNM]

Makes sense. I also don't think tanking at least from the angle of losing games "on purpose" happens in the NFL. There's no benefit at all to the "tankers", once the season ends the coaches likely get fired and a chunk of the roster is shown the door. The "tank" year is on their NFL track record permanently and I can't imagine that's a good thing.

Because you used "", i have to disagree to your conclusion.

Tanking is at the same time very easy to do, and very hard. Obviously, doing thing explicitily to harm your own team is not going to happen.

But i do agree with you main points in general here

Maybe that will happen. Or it will be the same as the Stidham questions at the end of 2020. Bill knew Stidham was out the door so why bother with that.

With that said... if Stidham was still here I absolutely would give him a shot. He's a very different QB than Mac. More mobile and a big arm. Zappe is the same kind of QB as Mac but inferior.

Also here, nothing to add. Makes perfect sense to me

 

[Wozzy]

The 31 other teams that said lol no thanks to Zappe - were they all wrong too?

I've already addressed this. Nobody is bringing a new QB onto their active roster a week before the regular season.

He's 28. That's not irrelevant. Losing your job to Sam Darnold and PJ Walker isn't an argument that Grier might be better than Mac right now.

Matt Rhule didn't draft Grier and had no attachment to him, when he got hired he brought his guys in. Age is irrelevant.

Funny how the Zappe apologists slam Mac for not elevating a subpar team around him and yet they make excuses for the smurf that it's his teammates fault. Lol

Hopefully he'll be a twice-cut player soon so this nonsense can be put to bed. He sucks. We saw it, Bill saw it, every other team saw it. Q.E.D.

There's no such thing as "Zappe apologists," he doesn't need apologists. He's 2-0 as a starter.

Zappe is one inch shorter than Mac and the same height as Purdy, but he's "a smurf"... how tall are you stretch?

 

[Wozzy]

No one here posting is proclaiming that Mac is the answer or can elevate the team. I'm just looking at the entire picture in high definition. Mac as a rookie was good. Then 2022 happened the coaching, the issues with BB, everything the herald reported about the team. All that has affected him. The entire team has regressed in each of the past 3 seasons.

So I've said at this point what is the reason Mac is still here? Why keep him if he isn't any good? May as well just give him a fresh start elsewhere with an offensive minded coach and a team with guys around him to see his full potential. It's not happening here for him. Now his best of worst #1 WR KB is gone at this point just trade him.. but the team won't. They would rather keep him.. and pay the small dollars than get a veteran.

Nah, nothing happened to Mac in 2022. Mac started his downward descent in week 13 of his rookie season.

He hasn't improved since then. We just blamed Patricia for the entire mess, meanwhile Mac has stayed exactly the same and even gotten worse. Zappe posted a 100+ QB Rating under the same exact conditions in 2022, he didn't need excuses built in for him.

 

[Real fan 02]

Nah, nothing happened to Mac in 2022. Mac started his downward descent in week 13 of his rookie season.

He hasn't improved since then. We just blamed Patricia for the entire mess, meanwhile Mac has stayed exactly the same and even gotten worse. Zappe posted a 100+ QB Rating under the same exact conditions in 2022, he didn't need excuses built in for him.

It's hard to argue that. But I'll say yes on that aspect your right. But 2022 didn't have to happen. Zapp was a rookie.. Mac had been under McDaniels.. I believe it was Mac not respecting Matt and Joe as they had no Offensive pedigree. So as I've said.. the organization won't cut ties with Mac because he's cheap. I'm telling you.

 

[Wozzy]

It's hard to argue that. But I'll say yes on that aspect your right. But 2022 didn't have to happen. Zapp was a rookie.. Mac had been under McDaniels.. I believe it was Mac not respecting Matt and Joe as they had no Offensive pedigree. So as I've said.. the organization won't cut ties with Mac because he's cheap. I'm telling you.

You believe the Pats will sign Mac to a second contract? They won't.

They'll draft another QB next offseason and move on from Mac.

 

[Real fan 02]

You believe the Pats will sign Mac to a second contract? They won't.

They'll draft another QB next offseason and move on from Mac.

I don't think they will. They aren't moving him because he's cheap. You know they care about $$ they are a business just like the 31 teams.. they aren't picking up Mac's option. He would have to play near perfect football the rest of what for them to even consider it. It's just best Mac and organization cut ties.

 

[Stu Pidassle]

With all of the injuries and disfunction, keeping the team playing hard and building towards next season should be the focus. Playing time at all positions needs to be earned in practice or through necessity due to injuries. Players will check out at a faster rate if they don't think BB is putting the best possible team on the field. If Mac is the best of a bad bunch of QBs he should continue to start and potentially evolve into a better player until there is a better alternative on the roster. If that player is already on the roster he should start. Both Mac and Zappe are young, it make no sense investing in a less capable player in the hopes of catching lightning in a bottle.

 

[sb1]

I've already addressed this. Nobody is bringing a new QB onto their active roster a week before the regular season.

Says who? He wouldn't need to start he can be even QB3. Apparently nobody else thought so. Nuff said.

Matt Rhule didn't draft Grier and had no attachment to him, when he got hired he brought his guys in. Age is irrelevant.

Age is relevant. Extremely unlikely that a 28 year old has a high upside, he's probably already at his ceiling. Which isn't very high.
If Grier was any good or had any potential he wouldn't lose his job to PJ Walker. Full stop. What would be the purpose of playing out the string with this guy? The team would learn nothing. Mac Jones is better than him and makes the coaches job much easier to look at the offense the rest of the way.

There's no such thing as "Zappe apologists," he doesn't need apologists. He's 2-0 as a starter.

Mac doesn't have a good team around him but he just sucks cut him right now. Zappe was absolute garbage in preseason and camp but that's not his fault it's his team's fault lolol. Also gotta love the excuses people made for his INTs last season lolololol. Start him he's better than Mac Jones lolololololol. And forget all that anyway give him another chance just because! Maybe he'll be great this time I swear! Lol.

Yeah that 2-0 record sure impressed other teams that's why multiple teams claimed him oh wait.

He should have been traded after the Browns game. That's too bad his value will never be that high again.

Zappe is one inch shorter than Mac and the same height as Purdy, but he's "a smurf"... how tall are you stretch?

Zappe is not 6'1. No way no how. He reported himself as 6' half inch at the combine. Funny how that's also the magic number which all undersized QB's regardless of height report themselves to be in the combine or they would not get a second look by any team there. Try more like 5'10. And if those other guys threw their weak little cream puff passes into the hands of defenders like Zappe does I'd make fun of them too. Saw enough of the smurf stinking up the field in the Bears game and preseason. Yeah nobody needs to see any more of that.

Barring injury they will and should ride with Mac all the way for better or worse and then discuss changes after the season ends. Talking about dumping Mac Jones for a 6th was stupid talk. Mac is the best QB on the roster right now. Which isn't saying Mac is good it's saying the other guys are a joke which they are. I expect they will have a much better QB situation next season whether Mac is involved with that or not.

 

[sb1]

You believe the Pats will sign Mac to a second contract? They won't.

They'll draft another QB next offseason and move on from Mac.

Most likely. The draftee should be someone much better than Grier and Zappe that's for sure.