Here we are: back at Gillette Stadium for a home game against a very beatable opponent.
Should go swimmingly, right?
(For the lowdown on the Colts, check out the latest episode of "1st and Foxborough" here.)
Ok, there are plenty of reasons to think this game will go a lot better than that accursed Bears game two Mondays ago.
For one thing, it’s just a 1 pm game; the whole country won’t be watching. It seems like those games have gone better for the Patriots of late.
Secondly, Justin Fields isn’t about to suit for the other team.
However, the Patriots will have to stay disciplined to avoid the situation they themselves have visit upon other teams a few times this season: getting beaten by the backup quarterback. Getting, well, Zapped.
Due to Matt Ryan’s poor health, bad play and lack of protection up front, the Colts are sending Bailey Zap — I mean, Sam Ehlinger to the plate against the Patriots. The sophomore sixth-rounder didn’t light the world on fire in last week’s loss to the lowly Washington Commanders, but it also wasn’t too bad for a first time out (17/23 passing, 201 yards).
He’s not a big guy, of course, standing just 6-foot-1 and checking in at 220 pounds. (Then again, you don’t have room to laugh at that if you’re a fan of Zappe, who is literally the exact same size.) But he’s plucky and can run a bit, carrying the ball twice on designed carries and picking up a first down with his legs last week.
By all accounts, he’ll probably hold up better behind the Colts’ porous offensive line than Ryan did. Whether or not that means anything with Indianapolis looking like they could be missing star running back Jonathan Taylor remains to be seen.
Regardless, the Patriots can’t (and hopefully won’t) look past Ehlinger after getting pummeled by a below-average Bears team just over a week ago and after seeing what their own backup quarterback has done to opposing teams in relief. This should be a win, but New England doesn’t have the luxury of taking anyone lightly anymore.
The game could also serve as glimpse of the flip side of the “To Mac or not to Mac” coin we still insist on flipping every time Jones doesn’t look like the second coming of Tom Brady.
Instead of riding with a hurt, ineffective veteran, the Colts (3-4-1) have turned to their backup quarterback in a seemingly lost year to see what they have in Ehlinger whereas the Patriots have (for now) gone back to Mac Jones over Zappe to see if their first-round pick can turn things around after a rough start to 2022.
Ask yourself this: do you honestly think the Colts are trying to find out if Ehlinger is “the guy,” or are they plotting their course for another quarterback on the trade market, free agency or in the draft as we speak? (It’s definitely the latter, by the way.)
The difference between the Patriots and Colts is that New England actually has a first-round quarterback they’ve invested in and are still learning about, which is a much better situation to be in.
Indianapolis is in quarterback purgatory, if not hell, whereas it’s too soon to tell if New England is doomed yet, no matter how you feel about Jones. Colts fans aren't getting pumped for 10-15 more years of Ehlinger; they're hoping and praying to get bad enough to draft CJ Stroud, Bryce Young or Will Levis.
Remember that if you’re among the folks who want to see Jones traded or cut in favor of Sam Ehlin -- Bailey Zappe. My bad.
The Colts would take a healthy Ryan back in a heartbeat for the same reason the Patriots immediately went back to Mac Jones even after his bizarre benching against the Bears, even though Zappe has played better football so far this year than Jones (with caveats, of course).
They know you’re usually pretty screwed once you’re playing the Backup QB game in search of hidden treasure.
The Colts are already there. Hopefully, the Patriots don’t end up there, too. First order of business: don’t let this backup quarterback make things any harder than they need to be.
