Justin Herbert’s Chargers are heading east for a rainy date with the Patriots in Foxborough.
With a combined record of 6-16 — and Los Angeles wideout Keenan Allen listed as questionable — it could certainly be an ugly one at Gillette Stadium. But ultimately, somebody needs to walk out victorious. So who will it be?
Here are three predictions for Sunday afternoon:
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1. Zappe starts
For the second week in a row, Bill Belichick has neglected to name a starting quarterback, but all signs point to Bailey Zappe taking over for a battered Mac Jones. Zappe took all the first-team reps during the media window at practice, and Jones didn’t speak to reporters all week for the first time this season.
“(Zappe) is pretty consistent,” Belichick said. “About what it’s been all year. He’s pretty even-keeled, not a lot of roller coaster with him.”
It’s going to be Zappe’s show, and he’ll get the lion’s share of quarterback reps, but…
2. Cunningham gets WR and QB snaps
With Malik Cunningham elevated from the practice squad, the bet here is that the hybrid player gets most of his snaps at wideout, but plays a little quarterback too.
“I’m very confident in my game,” Cunningham said. “I feel like my teammates are confident in me, too. I’m confident in those guys. We’re all just coming together and trying to get this win this weekend.”
Demario Douglas (concussion) and Kayshon Boutte (illness/shoulder) have been ruled out, so the Patriots are going to need Cunningham to contribute at wideout, where he’s growing increasingly comfortable.
“Honestly, it’s been night and day considering when I first got here, not really knowing much of receiver,” Cunningham said. “Now, it’s Week 13 and I got a little comfortable, been able to talk to a lot of receivers, watch those guys run a lot of routes, and try to influence my game and make myself better.
“Going from quarterback to receiver and then back to quarterback, it kind of does definitely help. I know where I need to be and I kind of know where the quarterbacks need me to be on the routes.”
3. The Patriots lose
New quarterback(s), same result.
With Zappe at the helm, the Patriots offense still sputters, and Herbert picks on former teammate JC Jackson on the other side of the ball. It’s an ugly afternoon in the 40-degree rain, and ultimately the Patriots leave Gillette Stadium one step closer to a Top 5 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Final prediction: Chargers 23, Patriots 17.
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