The New England Patriots' quarterback situation got even more complicated when Bill Belichick rolled with both Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe on Monday night. The result was Jones leaving after three series and an interception, and "Zappe Fever" fizzling out amid a 33-14 home loss to the Chicago Bears.
Belichick insists it was his plan all along to go with both QBs, but that plan ultimately backfired as the Patriots enter Week 8 with plenty of question marks. The second chapter of the Jones vs. Zappe debate isn't nearly as optimistic as the first.
Curran: Unanswered questions abound after baffling loss to Bears
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How should Belichick and the Patriots approach the QB situation going forward after the disastrous Week 8 defeat? How will Jones respond to his unceremonious return to the field? On a new episode of the Next Pats Podcast, former Patriots running back James White joins Phil Perry to discuss all of the quarterback drama in New England.
Next Pats Podcast: Patriots legend says Mac Jones, not Bailey Zappe, should be THE GUY for Bill Belichick | Listen & Follow | Watch on YouTube
"I think he'll handle it fine," White said of Jones. "Nobody played very well last night. Everybody has to turn the page. I thought he handled it great last night. He was still there supporting Bailey when he was playing. He was the first one to congratulate him after he threw the touchdown.
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"So I think he handled it well. I think it will kind of ignite a little bit more fire underneath him. I think everybody in the building is going to have a little bit more of a sense of urgency."
As for whether it should be Jones or Zappe under center for the Patriots after Monday's debacle, White is sticking with the guy who led New England to a playoff berth as a rookie.
"To me, Mac is still the guy for the team. He's the guy that you saw do it for 17, 18 weeks, whatever it was last year," White said. "Bailey, obviously he's shown a lot of potential, but he hasn't been through an entire football season. There's a lot of ups and downs, especially for a young quarterback."
Also in the new episode: Perry tries to make sense of what happened at quarterback for the Patriots Monday night vs. the Bears and shares what he’s heard about the situation over the last 24 hours. White shares his thoughts on how the Patriots will respond after Monday night’s shocking loss. Does Bill Belichick owe his team an explanation for how the QB position was handled vs. the Bears? And White explains what has made Rhamondre Stevenson such a special player this season.
Check out the latest episode of the Next Pats Podcast on the NBC Sports Boston Podcast Network, or watch it on YouTube below: