Chants of Zappe echoed throughout Gillette Stadium as the New England Patriots floundered a potential bounce-back game against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.
Mac Jones once again looked awful, finishing 12-of-22 passing for 110 yards and two interceptions, including another pick-six in the first quarter. Patriots fans desperately wanted to believe that backup Bailey Zappe could put on the red cape and give the offense some hope in the fourth quarter.
Buy Patriots TicketsBut this wasn’t a game for hoping for a Patriots team that now finds itself sitting at 1-4 on the season. It was a game for deep regret.
Coach Bill Belichick’s negligence on the offensive side of the ball when building the roster was on full display. The offensive line was a complete disaster with right tackle Vederian Lowe’s performance being the most egregious of them all. He was routinely beat in the trenches and pushed back into the lap of the quarterback he was supposedly protecting.
Another week of offensive line struggles meant another week of a lackluster rushing attack as well. The combination of Rhamondre Stevenson and Ezekiel Elliott continued to underwhelm with a combined 45 yards on the ground. And the receiving corps was an absolute no-show in a game where skilled players couldn’t get open or make plays.
This performance by New England stings more than the loss to the Cowboys with it being at Gillette Stadium and the team being held scoreless. The Patriots have some serious soul searching to do heading into Week 6. Is it time to make a change at quarterback? Should the team consider making some more trades or free agent signings?
What does all of this mean for the shaky future of Belichick? Five weeks into the season, and the Patriots are faced with more questions than answers.
