For the latest on the Patriots, check out WEEI and Audacy's "1st and Foxborough."
Bill Belichick just couldn’t resist lobbing another grenade into the firestorm, could he?
The coach was asked, for some reason, during his media availability on Wednesday whether he planned to stick with Mac Jones as the starting quarterback for the remainder of the year after the second-year passer’s subpar game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
A simple “yes” would’ve sufficed, but Belichick opted to get weird instead: “The plan is to beat Cincinnati.”
After Belichick’s tweak about Jones possibly not being able to throw a 55-to-60-yard Hail Mary against the Raiders last Sunday, this is starting to feel a little personal.
First of all, the answer to that question is “yes”: the plan is to have your starting quarterback be your starting quarterback for the remainder of the season.
If the Patriots actually believed Bailey Zappe was the better option to win right now, he probably would’ve pulled a Robert Saleh by now and benched Jones. Zappe had his shot to make his case after two early scores against the Chicago Bears, but the egg he laid in the second half took that off the table.
Belichick taking this tack is probably a power move more than anything: making sure Jones remembers the coach has the power and to keep that in mind the next time the young quarterback publicly shows his frustration. It’s up to Jones, then, to use that dig as motivation and respond strongly.
But it certainly puts the thought in everyone’s mind that going back to Zappe, especially if the Patriots are mathematically eliminated from contention or Jones implodes in a desperate moment, is not off the table.
LISTEN on the Audacy App
Sign Up and Follow Audacy Sports
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram