Right from the first offense series, an eight-play, 75-yard scoring drive, something was different in the Patriots huddle.
There was a confidence, a swagger with the unit we hadn’t seen in a long time. And it grew with every series in the first half.
The biggest reason for that boost was the play of the quarterback.
Bailey Zappe was a difference maker in the first half. He threw three touchdown passes, and had a poise and pocket presence that led to making plays. Big plays.
His 37-yard completion to JuJu Smith Schuster during that opening drive, the first completion of 30-plus air yards this season, set the tone, and led to the Patriots scoring their first opening drive touchdown in 13 games.
His teammates, naturally, were effusive in their praise.
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“I saw a very confident quarterback,” Smith-Schuster said of Zappe following the win. “Someone out there just having fun being himself, just zipping it around. And making the most of his opportunities.”
It was a different story in the second half, when the offense stalled in part because the protection wasn’t quite as good as the opening half. But it was hard to ignore how effective, how competent the offense looked with Zappe under center in the early going.
As it turned out, the 21-point output in the first half was good enough to endure the bagel Zappe & Co. put up in the second half. The Patriots defense, right on cue, made sure the Steelers didn’t spoil the party, coming up with another stellar effort.
This time, the efforts of the defense weren’t wasted by a lackluster offense.
And following the 21-18 win over the Men of Steel, after watching how Zappe wheeled and dealed in the first 30 minutes, it was hard not to wonder: Why did it take Bill Belichick so long to bench Mac Jones?
More to the point, would it have made a difference if he had made the switch to Zappe earlier in the year, possibly after the New Orleans game Week 5 when Jones was pulled from his second straight game?
It’s an interesting question to ponder, because Belichick waited another six games, giving Jones more rope — yanking him on two other occasions – before starting Zappe Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers Week 13.
So instead of 3-10, might the Patriots have squeezed out a few more wins?
Given how they actually played more of a complementary game with the defense, they probably would have, because that hasn’t been the case much of the season. Since that 34-0 loss to the Saints, the Pats lost five one-score games (Las Vegas, Washington, Indianapolis, New York Giants, Los Angeles Chargers). They were only blown out of one game, a 31-17 loss to Miami, after those back-to-back blowout losses to Dallas and New Orleans.
While Zappe did start against the Chargers, and didn’t score, much less advance the ball to the red zone, he did show some signs of life in the way he moved in the pocket. It all came together one start later.
Against the Steelers, Zappe looked more like the quarterback that led the team to two wins last year when he started after both Jones and Brian Hoyer were injured. Perhaps knowing he was the clear-cut starter, receiving the blessing of both Belichick and offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien along the way, not to mention getting more reps, made a difference.
Because even without Rhamondre Stevenson, Demario Douglas and DeVante Parker, that didn’t stop Bill O’Brien from opening up the offense in a way he hadn’t in previous weeks with Jones under center. He trusted Zappe to make throws.
And make them, he did.
The two touchdown passes to Hunter Henry were absolute dimes. The second one, he absolutely threaded the needle with a dart just over converging Steelers safety Damontae Kazee into the hands of Henry.
“I’m just doing what I’m coached to do,” Zappe said following the game. “Go through my reads, if my first reads open, take it. We have great playmakers. One on one with our guys, we’d take our guys any day.”
Getting back to the premise, would the season have been much different for the Patriots had Zappe taken over earlier? Sure, but we’re still not talking about a team that makes the playoffs. We’re talking about a team that has a few more wins thanks to having better quarterback play.
And maybe, we’re talking about a team that doesn’t finish in the AFC East basement.
With or without Zappe, the Patriots still have an offense that’s still limited due to a lack of weapons, regardless of what Zappe said above, and an offensive line that has had its share of difficulties. All of that was on display in the second half, when the Patriots did nothing but punt, with the lone exception being a pick Zappe through on an ill-advised pass.
It also doesn’t help having a special teams unit that continues to harm, as opposed to help.
The blocked punt by the Steelers early in the fourth quarter made the game closer than it should have been.
Earlier in the week, Belichick was asked why he didn’t go to Zappe earlier in the year. He said he wanted to let Jones work out his issues. Aside from that, Zappe hadn’t done all that much in practice to inspire the switch.
That being said, Zappe has shown to be better in the games. For whatever reason, the lights go on for him when there’s actual competition.
At the very least, Zappe has shown to be a capable backup quarterback. And going forward, the Patriots being armed with that knowledge just might clear up some of the ambiguity with their quarterback plan going forward.
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