Zach Wilson's disastrous effort provides reprieve for Patriots' own QB chaos
Thankfully for the New England Patriots, Zach Wilson and the New York Jets were considerably worse. Fresh off igniting a full-blown quarterback controversy, Bill Belichick's Patriots eked out a 22-17 upset of the New York Jets as Jones played quarterback without a peep from backup Bailey Zappe. The second-year Jets quarterback threw three interceptions on Sunday, including two unforced errors in the second half that subdued any hope of a New York comeback. He didn't find an open receiver and opted to throw the ball away as he faced pressure from the Patriots pass rush. His yardage total was inflated by a come-from-behind effort that saw the Jets abandon the run game in the second half.
wftv.comPats' QB Jones believes he deserves to be starter vs. Jets
— (AP) — Mac Jones believes he deserves to start the Patriots' matchup with the Jets on Sunday. Jones played with a brace on his left leg in Monday's loss to Chicago, but he wasn't wearing it on Wednesday. Just trying to get my treatment and I've done a good job with that," Jones said of his ankle. And for me right now that's to become a better quarterback individually and a better player. He said Wednesday that he stands by that despite Jones’ slow start to the season.
wftv.comColts finally give up on Andrew Luck ghost, while Packers need prayers and Patriots need to start Mac Jones
Colts finally turning the page from the Andrew Luck sagaThe Colts finally did it. After years of chasing the ghost of Andrew Luck, they seem ready to accept their fate as a team that’s stuck in the mud and in serious need of a retooling. The NFC South is a dumpster fireLet me say this as a fan of the Atlanta Falcons: No more NFC South games should be televised this season. In a year where there seems to be a lot of bad football, the NFC South was the embodiment of it last weekend. The fall of the Buccaneers has resulted in the NFC South quickly turning into a feeble division feared by none and mocked by many.
wftv.comReports: Mac Jones expected to start at quarterback for Patriots on Sunday
Mac Jones is practicing with New England Patriots starters and expected to start on Sunday against the New York Jets, ESPN's Field Yates and NFL Network's Mike Garofolo report. The news arrives after head coach Bill Belichick benched Jones during Monday's loss to the Chicago Bears in favor of rookie Bailey Zappe. Jones, New England's first-round pick in 2021, had missed the previous three games with an ankle injury. Zappe played well in his absence, and Belichick benched Jones after he threw an interception against the Bears. He declined to name a starter moving forward after the 33-14 loss to the Bears.
wftv.comForget the Mac Jones interception conspiracy. Bill Belichick has bungled the Patriots' QB situation
If you're looking to build some defense of Mac Jones, there is now an intriguing video snippet that isn't New England Patriots coach/skipping juke box Bill Belichick repeating "We'll see how it goes today." Remember that pre-benching interception thrown by Jones in the Patriots' 33-14 home loss to the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football? ESPN says the interception by #Patriots’ Mac Jones against the #Bears did NOT hit the ESPN SkyCam wire. The simple truth is that this entire Jones situation has been — and continues to be — bungled by Belichick. Yet rather than ride that wave, Belichick chose to put Jones back into the starting lineup when he wasn’t fully healthy.
wftv.comBill Belichick can't easily brush aside confusion over Patriots' two-QB 'plan' as losses pile up
“I told the quarterbacks that we were going to play both of them, and that’s what we did,” Belichick said Monday. "It was the best thing to do based on the situation," Belichick said of the change. "The whole situation," Belichick said. “In the end, all we try to do is what is best for the team,” Belcihick said. Bill Belichick isn’t changing his ways and isn’t explaining anything, even if the record isn’t what it once was.
wftv.comBears DT Mike Pennel Jr. ejected for blindside block that left Patriots C David Andrews woozy
Chicago Bears defensive tackle Mike Pennel Jr. was ejected on Monday for an illegal blindside block against the New England Patriots. It was tipped at the line of scrimmage and intercepted by Bears linebacker Roquan Smith. As Smith returned the interception, Pennel leveled Patriots center David Andrews with a blindside block. But Pennel was indeed ejected and left the field without incident. Andrews, meanwhile, was left woozy after the hit and needed help off the field.
wftv.comFields, Bears score 23 straight points, beat Pats 33-14
In a matchup of quarterbacks from the 2020 College Football Playoff National Championship game, Fields outperformed Jones, who led Alabama to victory over Fields’ Ohio State. Zappe!” the fourth-round draft pick from Western Kentucky led the Patriots to back-to-back touchdowns and a 14-10 lead. In the second half it was all Chicago, which ran off 23 unanswered points. Rhamondre Stevenson caught eight passes for 59 yards and ran 11 times for 39 for the Patriots (3-4). Fields ran 14 times for 82 yards, including five third-down scrambles for first downs.
wftv.comBailey Zappe was fun for a while, but now Patriots have issues after loss to Bears
Rookie quarterback Bailey Zappe replaced Mac Jones on Monday to cheers from the New England Patriots crowd. It was hysteria when Zappe led the Patriots to a 14-10 lead with touchdowns on his first two drives. The Patriots didn't score again. By about 10:45 p.m. Eastern time, about an hour-and-a-half after the world was convinced Zappe was never giving up the Patriots' quarterback job, the Bears took a 33-14 lead. Zappe didn't do much.
wftv.comPatriots fans cheer as Bailey Zappe replaces struggling Mac Jones in 2nd quarter
Jones threw a bad interception and early in the second quarter, he was replaced by rookie Bailey Zappe. A few fans started chanting for Zappe after the Bears scored their first touchdown late in the first quarter. In the second quarter, Jones gave Bill Belichick a prime chance to make a change. On the Patriots' next series, Zappe came in. Fans cheered when Zappe came on the field.
wftv.comNFL Monday Night Football tracker: Patriots take on Bears amid Mac Jones vs. Bailey Zappe debate
Mac Jones has reportedly recovered enough from a high-ankle sprain to return to the New England Patriots lineup Monday night against the Chicago Bears. But a question lingers over his expected return following a three-week absence. While Jones has been sidelined, rookie Bailey Zappe has made the most of his opportunity running New England's offense while the Patriots have gone 2-1 since Jones got hurt. Follow the action here with Yahoo Sports to see how it all plays out against the Bears.
wftv.comPatriots QB Mac Jones reportedly expected to start vs. Bears on MNF
According to ESPN's Mike Reiss, the young Patriots QB will be available on Monday to start against the Chicago Bears after missing the past three starts with a high ankle sprain. What about the QB 'controversy' with Bailey Zappe? So now that Jones is back, does that mean the quarterback "controversy" between him and Zappe is over? There is no QB controversy in New England. Jones has a whole season of starts under his belt, and while Zappe has played well, he's started just two games.
wftv.comFantasy Football Fact or Fluke: Was Ja'Marr Chase 'due,' or should you sell high?
He was drafted around QB 7-8 this year and after Sunday’s explosion of fantasy points, Burrow is currently QB 5. Since Week 1, the four-interception game in which he still came out with 18 fantasy points, he’s had a pretty clean record (10 TD, 1 INT). This was Chase’s best game of the season by far and ended a string of four single-digit PPR fantasy games that had managers in agony. With seven catches for 132 yards and two scores, Chase led all fantasy players (except Burrow) in Week 6. It wasn't enough to overcome the Bills, but after weeks of good targets, nice opportunity share and few fantasy points, he came through.
wftv.comPatriots bury Browns, Belichick ties Halas with 324th win
The Patriots' offense took a while to get going in this one, and Browns (2-4) never really did. INJURIESPatriots: WR Kendrick Bourne left in the second quarter with a toe injury. ... DL Christan Barmore (knee) was helped off the field in the second quarter and was ruled out. Browns: DE Myles Garrett was helped off the field in the second half. Pro Bowl RG Wyatt Teller left in the second quarter with a calf injury.
wftv.comNFL Winners and Losers: Bill Belichick keeps making history, now with an unlikely QB
And he's on a winning streak with rookie quarterback Bailey Zappe. On Sunday the Patriots offense was far better than the Browns, even though Cleveland has a more talented player at just about every position. It was ahead of where most draft analysts figured he'd go, and the Patriots had Jones coming off a good rookie season. But they were 1-3 with an unheralded rookie quarterback for a few weeks. San Francisco still has a chance to have a good season, but they need to get healthy soon.
wftv.comMeet Bailey Zappe, who has Bill Belichick suddenly hedging on naming Patriots' starting QB
Zappe, Kittley understood, already knew what was coming. And the more coach could empower player to act accordingly, the more Zappe would eventually be ready for the NFL, he believed. But Patriots coach Bill Belichick didn’t downplay Zappe’s role. “The greatest player of all-time is a game manager: Tom Brady.”Could Bailey Zappe start even when Mac Jones is healthy? But Zappe’s play has generated a 104.7 net passer rating to Jones’ 76.2.
wftv.comClose calls happening at record-setting pace in NFL
There are 15 teams that are 2-2 so far this season, tying 2017 season for the most teams splitting their first four games. GROUND IT OUTSeven teams gained more yards on the ground than through the air led by the 262 yards rushing by the New York Giants in a rare 4,000-yard rushing week in the NFL. The combined 233.4 yards rushing per game are the second most through four weeks of a season since 2000, just 6 yards behind the 2020 season. The 281 combined points in Detroit's games are the most for a team through four games. Jared Goff is tied for the league lead with 11 TD passes and Jamaal Williams leads the NFL with six TD runs.
wftv.comWeek 4 Sunday Night Freestyle: Tua's TNF concussion overshadows, Eagles stay undefeated & Pickett's debut
Tagovailoa's injury on Thursday night reignited a conversation around player safety that Charles argues played a major effect on Sunday's slate of games. All profits directly fund the Terez A. Paylor scholarship at Howard University. Under "Tribute," please note that your gift is made in memory of Terez A. Paylor. Under "Designation," click on "Other" and write in "Terez A. Paylor Scholarship." • Donate directly to the PowerMizzou Journalism Alumni Scholarship in memory of Terez PaylorCheck out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at yahoosports.com/podcasts
wftv.comRodgers, Crosby's OT FG lead Packers past Pats, Zappe 27-24
GREEN BAY, Wis. — (AP) — Aaron Rodgers rebounded from a dreadful start and helped the Green Bay Packers spoil Bailey Zappe's unexpected NFL debut with the New England Patriots. Zappe and the Patriots (1-3) still played well enough to force overtime, but Rodgers continued his recent home mastery of AFC teams. The Packers (3-1) are 18-1 in the last 19 home games Rodgers has started against AFC foes. “Of course, it was exciting at first," said Zappe, who went 10 of 15 for 99 yards with a touchdown. Zappe gave New England a 17-10 lead in the third quarter with a 25-yard touchdown pass to DeVante Parker.
wftv.comCrosby's FG in OT helps Packers edge Patriots, Zappe 27-24
GREEN BAY, Wis. — (AP) — Mason Crosby made a 31-yard field goal as time expired in overtime, and the Green Bay Packers topped the New England Patriots 27-24 on Sunday, spoiling rookie quarterback Bailey Zappe’s NFL debut. After the Packers went three-and-out on the opening possession of overtime, Marcus Jones’ 20-yard punt return gave New England the ball at its 49-yard line. The Packers then marched 77 yards in a 12-play drive that lasted nearly seven minutes before Crosby made his winning kick. Green Bay had tied the game at 24 on Rodgers’ 13-yard touchdown pass to rookie Romeo Doubs with 6:14 remaining. That included a New England touchdown on Jack Jones’ 40-yard interception return, which lifted the Patriots to a 10-7 halftime lead.
wftv.comPatriots fall to 1-3 after playing hard but losing in overtime against Packers
Patriots play hard with rookie QBLast season the Patriots started 1-3. They won eight of their next nine with a rookie quarterback and made the playoffs. Even after the Packers took a 14-10 lead on Rodgers' touchdown pass to Robert Tonyan, Zappe lofted a touchdown pass to DeVante Parker. The Packers went three-and-out, a disappointing and surprising result after winning the toss. The Patriots went three-and-out too, with a disappointing punt after reaching Packers territory.
wftv.comPatriots QB Brian Hoyer leaves with head injury, Zappe in
GREEN BAY, Wis. — (AP) — Patriots quarterback Brian Hoyer left New England's game with the Green Bay Packers because of a head injury. Bailey Zappe, a rookie fourth-round pick from Western Kentucky, took over for Hoyer and made his NFL debut Sunday. Hoyer departed after getting sacked by Rashan Gary on a third-down play in the Patriots' second series of the game. The team said Hoyer was being evaluated for a head injury and announced he was out for the rest of the game after the Patriots went three-and-out on Zappe's first drive. ___More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFLCopyright 2022 The Associated Press.
wftv.comPatriots down to third-string QB Bailey Zappe as Brian Hoyer goes back to locker room
The solution for the New England Patriots' offensive struggles probably wasn't trying out their third-string quarterback. Mac Jones has an ankle injury so he was out for Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers. Brian Hoyer started in Jones' place, but during the first quarter of Sunday's game he headed back to the locker room to be checked out for a head injury. Patriots injury update: QB Brian Hoyer is being evaluated for a head injury. — New England Patriots (@Patriots) October 2, 2022Hoyer took a big hit on a sack, went to the medical tent and then was walking to the locker room shortly after.
wftv.comPatriots quarterback Mac Jones misses practice with illness
— (AP) — Patriots quarterback Mac Jones sat out Thursday’s practice with an illness. Jones was a full participant for Wednesday’s practice after suffering a back injury during New England’s Week 1 loss at Miami. If Jones does have to miss Sunday's game, backup Brian Hoyer would be in line to make his first start since Week 4 of the 2020 season. He stepped in that week for Cam Newton, who sat out the Patriots’ 25-10 loss at Kansas City with COVID-19. The 2020 loss to Kansas City was his lone start with the Patriots.
wftv.comLate FG gives Giants, Daboll 23-21 victory over Patriots
Giants Patriots Football New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (8 throws a pass over New England Patriots defensive tackle Daniel Ekuale (95) during the first half of a preseason NFL football game Thursday, Aug. 11, 2022, in Foxborough, Mass. — (AP) — Graham Gano hit a 24-yard field goal as time expired, Daniel Jones was solid in limited work and the New York Giants beat the New England Patriots 23-21 on Thursday night to open the preseason. The Giants gave Brian Daboll a victory in his head coaching debut against his predecessor and the team he started his NFL career with. Despite some breakouts by the offensive line, the Giants moved the ball well, with Jones completing 6 of 10 passes for 69 yards. The Giants led 20-14 in the fourth quarter before the Patriots took the the lead after a 20-yard TD pass from Bailey Zappe to Lil’Jordan Humphrey.
wftv.comZappe gets records, WKU rolls past App St 59-38 in Boca Bowl
Zappe broke a pair of single-season FBS records by passing for 422 yards and six touchdowns, and Western Kentucky handed Appalachian State its first-ever bowl loss by beating the Mountaineers 59-38 in the Boca Raton Bowl on Saturday. “I'm very proud of our team to win 10 games," Appalachian State coach Shawn Clark said. Appalachian State was outgained only slightly, 637-609, but turned the ball over four times. “I think it all came down to us having those turnovers," Appalachian State safety Jalen Virgil said. Western Kentucky: The 2022 season is set to begin on Aug. 27 at home against Austin Peay.
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