New England finds itself in a full-fledged quarterback controversy after an embarrassing loss to the Chicago Bears that also featured the benching of Mac Jones weeks after his injury. Jones lasted just three drives, pulled after throwing a second-quarter interception. Zappe led two touchdown drives on his first two drives, and Jones never returned.
Ultimately, Belichick explained after the game, the Patriots eventually getting blown out led the team to keep Jones on the sideline.
Peyton Manning hated everything about this situation.
Manning provided real-time commentary Monday night during the “ManningCast” version of “Monday Night Football.”
“Look, he had some turnovers early. That’s a pretty quick hook,” Manning said. “That’s a pretty athletic play by their safety.”
Manning questioned the decision of Mac Jones to be benched.
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“He’s not happy about it and I understand it,” Manning said. That’s a hard way to play quarterback, if you’re hesitant to make a play, knowing you’re gonna come out. That’s tough. My guess is that he didn’t know that was the deal. They have confidence in Zappe. He’s made some good decisions.
“But I hate that for a quarterback, to throw an interception — we’ve all thrown them. You don’t usually come out in the second quarter after that,” Manning added.
The decision seemingly worked out as Zappe came in and led them to touchdowns on back-to-back drives. However, it would go downhill after that as he fumbled the ball and threw an interception later in the blowout loss.
