In what was a game fans across the country were looking forward to (can you feel the sarcasm through your screen?) the New England Patriots faced off against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday Night Football. With both franchises facing a quarterback change going into the game, having Bailey Zappe and Mitch Trubisky manning the ships, it was a mystery as to how the game would ultimately turn out.
We once again saw some nice flashes from Zappe, who delivered a three-touchdown game and handed New England just their third win on the season.
The win comes off as bittersweet for most New England fans, who are certainly joyful anytime their team can capture a win, but also recognize the reality of what is at stake for the season. This Patriots team is not going to see Tom Brady walk through the doors of Gillette anytime soon, and their quarterback woes continue to be a migraine on the season. With that win, they may have played themselves out of the Caleb Williams sweepstakes.
It’s unrealistic to expect any franchise to tank games for a draft pick, especially a Bill Belichick one, but perhaps the hope was the quarterback play would continue to haunt them into a generational draft prospect. Nothing is guaranteed, of course, including the success of Caleb Williams at the next level. That being said, whenever you have a chance at a generational quarterback, you certainly want your team to be in a position to take it. Now with another win under their belt the first over pick is firmly in the hands of the Chicago Bears unless something miraculous happens over in Carolina.