Tag: Malik Cunningham

5 big takeaways from Patriots’ demoralizing 6-0 loss vs Chargers

Here are 5 big takeaways from the Patriots’ 6-0 loss to the Chargers on Sunday.

On an ugly, rainy Sunday afternoon in Foxborough, the New England Patriots took on the Los Angeles Chargers in a football game that may have set the offense back by about 50 years.

The Chargers could only muster up six points against a tough Patriots defense, but New England’s Division II-level offense – led by quarterback Bailey Zappe – couldn’t come up with a single point of their own.

The 6-0 loss was just another feather in the cap of what has been a brutally awful season for New England, a season many fans are sure to remember for a very long time, but not for the right reasons.

Here are five big takeaways from the game.

The Morning After…new quarterback, same problems for Patriots

Even with Bailey Zappe under center, the Patriots were shut out at home by the worst passing defense in the NFL.

The New England Patriots had everything in play for a potential turnaround game against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Mac Jones, who had handicapped the team with numerous turnovers, was watching from the sidelines, while Bailey Zappe finally got his chance to start and play for an entire game. The Patriots were facing a Chargers team with no Joey Bosa and the worst passing defense in the NFL.

There was no pressure or high expectations with the team sitting at 2-9 and pegged as underdogs in their home building. And the defense was playing lights out, as it has for most of the season, by limiting the previous two opponents to only 10 points.

Heaven itself opened and delivered a rainy, messy football game to help limit quarterback Justin Herbert and the Chargers’ potent offensive attack to give the Patriots a chance to compete on even ground.

None of it was enough for the Patriots, who crashed and burned with Bailey Zappe at the wheel for their second shutout loss at Gillette Stadium this season.

Here are some leftover notes from Sunday’s game:

Patriots elevate fan-favorite QB Malik Cunningham to main roster

Patriots QB Malik Cunningham gets elevated to the main roster and could see reps on Sunday.

Mac Jones’ demotion was likely confirmed on Saturday with the New England Patriots officially elevating backup quarterback Malik Cunningham to the main roster.

Cunningham was reportedly getting reps at quarterback at practice this week behind Bailey Zappe, while Jones ran the scout team. So there are expectations that the rookie signal-caller will see some work in Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers.

However, there no certainties of how extensive his offensive involvement will be.

The Patriots could look to get him in on a few package plays, and perhaps those opportunities could evolve from there depending on how the game plays out against the Chargers.

Cunningham’s ability to scramble and make plays on the move made him a fan-favorite in the preseason. Veteran wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster called him “dangerous” with the ball in his hands.

This might finally be the chance Cunningham has been waiting for to show the NFL world just how dangerous he can be.

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Patriots reportedly pick starting QB for Sunday’s game vs Chargers

The Patriots have reportedly made their decision on a starting QB.

Move over, Mac Jones. There’s a new starting quarterback for the New England Patriots.

On Friday, The Athletic’s Jeff Howe reported the Patriots are starting second-year quarterback Bailey Zappe for the first time this season in Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Backup Malik Cunningham is expected to be elevated from the practice squad and work into the mix as well in package plays. Meanwhile, Jones isn’t expected to take snaps at all, unless an injury forces him onto the field.

It’s a major shake-up for the Patriots, but it’s also one that was believed to be coming after Jones was benched in back-to-back games.

It has been a rough season for the former Alabama standout, who hasn’t played with anywhere near the same level of confidence he showed in his rookie season.

Keep in mind, Zappe starting this week doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll be the starter moving forward. Granted, he’ll have an opportunity to earn more future starts if he plays well. But the starting quarterback situation in New England could turn into a weekly decision by coach Bill Belichick moving forward.

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JuJu Smith-Schuster thinks Malik Cunningham is “dangerous” at QB

JuJu Smith-Schuster has seen Malik Cunningham work in at quarterback behind the scenes, and he believes the rookie is a “dangerous dude” under center.

There have been calls for the New England Patriots to play Malik Cunningham at quarterback ever since his preseason debut with the team against the Houston Texans.

Fans might finally get their wish after Cunningham was seen taking reps at quarterback at the media portion of Wednesday’s practice for the Patriots. JuJu Smith-Schuster has had an opportunity to see the rookie quarterback work behind the scenes, and the former Pro Bowl receiver obviously liked what he saw.

“He looked good. Him going out there, making throws, moving the chains, moving the ball down the field. He looked good,” Smith-Schuster told reporters. “That’s a dangerous dude right there. Him being in there, he can do a lot of different things with the ball in his hands.”

Cunningham’s ability to make plays on the move is an element that isn’t usual in New England.

Granted, the Patriots had the 2020 season with Cam Newton, who is also a dual-threat playmaker. But a large chunk of the Bill Belichick era has been dedicated predominantly to pocket passers.

Adding Cunningham to the mix would shake things up drastically, which is something that might actually benefit the Patriots at this point. He’d offer something fresh and new to a sluggish offense that desperately needs a spark.

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Bill O’Brien remains non-committal on Malik Cunningham role

Bill O’Brien had some interesting comments on Malik Cunningham’s role in the Patriots offense.

New England Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien would not commit to a specific role for quarterback Malik Cunningham, while offering some backstory from the rookie quarterback’s college days.

O’Brien indicated that he worked with Cunningham as both a receiver and a passer.

Cunningham has played mostly as a receiver in New England, according to O’Brien. However, the Louisville product has seen game action as a quarterback for the Patriots. He appeared in the October 15 contest against the Las Vegas Raiders. He did not attempt a pass and was sacked in the game.

On Wednesday, he was seen working in at quarterback with fellow backup Bailey Zappe.

It’s interesting that O’Brien would comment about how hard it is learning both positions, when that’s exactly what the Patriots are doing with Cunningham.

His actual role has been a mystery all season, and it doesn’t appear as though a definitive answer will come anytime soon.

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Bailey Zappe taking first-team reps with the Patriots (again) is a sign the Mac Jones era is over

Mac Jones might be getting benched if Patriots’ practice reps are to be believed.

The Mac Jones era of New England Patriots football might be coming to an end.

ESPN’s Mike Reiss reported on Wednesday that Patriots quarterback Bailey Zappe has returned to taking first-team reps with the offense, followed by practice squad rookie quarterback Malik Cunningham.

Reiss noted that Jones and practice squad quarterback Will Grier didn’t take any throws when media was present.

This is the first sign we’ve gotten so far that the Patriots might be moving on from having Jones as their starting quarterback, at least for the time being.

Everything has been in a downward spiral for Jones after his first two seasons in the NFL, with a report recently suggesting that the 2021 first-round quarterback was losing support in the New England locker room.

Patriots coach Bill Belichick, whose future is also in question with the franchise after more than two decades at the helm, deflected inquiries recently about who would start for New England going forward.

While Zappe taking first-team practice reps isn’t a confirmation that Jones will be benched, it’s a pretty clear indication this is where the Patriots are headed for the time being.

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WATCH: Malik Cunningham back to taking QB reps at Wednesday’s practice

Malik Cunningham was back in at quarterback during the media portion at Wednesday’s practice.

There’s never a dull day with this New England Patriots team, even after getting upset by Tommy DeVito and the New York Giants in Week 12.

It seems like the results from that game might impact the quarterback situation heading into the Week 13 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers.

During the portion of Wednesday’s practice that was open to the media, Bailey Zappe was on the field taking the first reps at quarterback with rookie fan-favorite Malik Cunningham backing him up. Meanwhile, Mac Jones stood behind them.

Keep in mind, that doesn’t confirm that Zappe and Cunningham are the top-two options at quarterback this week. Coach Bill Belichick could switch things up again at Thursday’s practice. But then again, this was how things looked with Jones and Zappe last week, before the two split reps under center against the Giants.

Fans have been calling for Cunningham to get an opportunity since the preseason, but the Patriots have worked him out predominantly as a receiver in recent weeks.

Cunningham mentioned last week that he hadn’t taken a quarterback rep since Week 6, when he was elevated to the main roster as the No. 2 option behind Jones against the Las Vegas Raiders.

That’s a long time to be away from a position to suddenly be thrown right back into the fire in Week 13. Yet, Cunningham’s ability to scramble around and make plays is an element to his game no other quarterback currently possesses on the Patriots’ roster.

It’s long overdue to see what he’s capable of in a game situation.

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Bill Belichick credits Malik Cunningham’s uniqueness for strange usage

Why is Malik Cunningham taking reps at QB and WR? Bill Belichick attempted to clear the air on Wednesday.

One of the biggest questions with the New England Patriots this season has been their strange utilization of rookie Malik Cunningham.

He took snaps at both quarterback and wide receiver during the preseason. In Week 6, ahead of the Patriots’ game against the Las Vegas Raiders, he was elevated to the main roster as the No. 2 quarterback behind Mac Jones. However, he recently claimed he hasn’t taken a single practice rep at quarterback since his preparations for that game.

What in the world is going on? Is Cunningham a quarterback or receiver?

Coach Bill Belichick commented on the Patriots’ strange approach when it comes to Cunningham’s development.

“He’s different than probably anyone else on our roster, so he’s been handled differently,” Belichick told reporters on Wednesday.

Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien recently talked about how hard it is to play both quarterback and receiver, which begs the question why the Patriots are making Cunningham do both.

It’s hard to put faith in the team’s ability to develop quarterbacks, particularly after the way Mac Jones’ career trajectory crashed and burned in New England.

At this point, Cunningham playing at quarterback feels more like a pipe dream for fans fed up with the same disappointing re-runs of Jones and Bailey Zappe.

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Patriots Wire Podcast: Still thanks to be had in disastrous season

Yes, it’s bad. The Patriots are 2-8 and on the outs as playoff contenders. But there’s plenty to be thankful for with a much-needed rebuild in the works.

This has without question been the most disappointing season for the New England Patriots in the Bill Belichick era. The team has sunk to the bottom of the AFC with a 2-8 record, which is the worst in the conference.

It’s crazy to think the Patriots were hoisting their sixth Lombardi Trophy after winning Super Bowl LIII four years ago. Now, they’re one of the worst teams in the NFL and can’t even make the playoffs.

But this is a week for giving thanks, and in this week’s episode of the Patriots Wire Podcast, Ryan O’Leary and I do exactly that when talking about this season.

It hasn’t all been bad for New England.

There are reasons to hope for a better future with the franchise, starting with the massive rebuild that is likely to come in 2024.

Follow the Patriots Wire Podcast:
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Please, share with us your thoughts and opinions on the topics covered in this week’s show. You can find us on Facebook and Twitter.

What are you most thankful for when it comes to the Patriots this season? If you could have Thanksgiving dinner with any NFL coach, who would it be? Will the Patriots beat the Giants?

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