Things are oddly optimistic around the New England Patriots, despite being dead last in the AFC East with rookie Bailey Zappe as their only healthy quarterback.
They were supposed to get beat down, blown out and flat-out embarrassed by the Green Bay Packers in Sunday’s Week 4 road meeting. Call Aaron Rodgers the GameShark at Lambeau Field because he’s a human cheat code every time he steps in the stadium filled with green jerseys and cheeseheads.
Brian Hoyer spearheading an upset march on the frozen tundra seemed nearly impossible. But rookie Bailey Zappe doing it? That would have seemed downright laughable.
And yet, the Patriots offense was on the field in overtime with a chance to win the game after their defense continued to make life a living hell for Rodgers on the other end.
The moment didn’t necessarily seem too big for Zappe, who went 10-of-15 passing for 99 yards and a touchdown. It doesn’t get much harder than getting thrown into the fire on the road against one of the league’s most aggressive defensive fronts, while also having to match the offensive production of one of the top-10 greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game.
Zappe wasn’t afraid of the moment, but he was also incredibly limited in what he was able to do within the confines of the vanilla play-calling in place to help offset his inexperience.
It was a gutsy performance from the young quarterback and the entire Patriots team in a game they had no business competing in. There’s definitely a huge moral victory to take away from the game, but then again, it’s also important they don’t hang their hat on it, either.
So far, this season is giving new meaning to the phrase “any given Sunday.”
Take Week 4 for example. The Kansas City Chiefs looked anemic offensively last week against the 1-2-1 Indianapolis Colts before going on the road and scoring 41 points to knock off a Tampa Bay Buccaneers team with one of the league’s best defenses.
Sunday’s game against the Packers would seem less like a moral victory for the Patriots if they drop a third straight loss in Week 5 at home against the Detroit Lions.
Make no mistake, that isn’t an attempt to rain on the moral victory parade because there are some legitimately positive takeaways from that game.
The Patriots’ defense is big time, and that unit will clearly be a problem for any opponent they face. Belichick gets criticized all of the time for drafting misfires, but he should be getting praised for what he’s done with the 2022 rookie class. They’re only four games into the season, and many of their young players are already making significant contributions on offense, defense and special teams.
Just look at rookie cornerback Jack Jones pick off Rodgers and take it to the house before halftime.
Going to the 🏠@presidentjacc | #ForeverNE
📺 #NEvsGB on @NFLonCBS pic.twitter.com/Dp5JAEMX7s
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) October 2, 2022
This Patriots team is much better than their 1-3 record indicates, and they might be able to prove it if they get Mac Jones back under center sooner rather than later.
The next six games are all winnable matchups after a brutal four-game stretch to open the season. That light at the end of the tunnel might be flickering, but it’s still within reach for this Patriots team.
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