The Patriots were down to their third-string quarterback. They were down to rookie Bailey Zappe, who took over for injured backup Brian Hoyer in the first quarter.
That alone had disaster written all over it.
Seriously? A rookie having to come on at Lambeau Field and play his first NFL snaps? And duel with Aaron Rodgers no less?
Only, there was no disaster. There was no blowout, and no reason for the Patriots to hang their heads leaving the historic field.
Even in defeat, this was an impressive performance, as the Zappe-led Patriots valiantly hung in with the Packers at Lambeau Field, battling into overtime.
Yes, they lost, with Mason Crosby kicking the game-winner in overtime to give the Packers a 27-24 win. And, they fell to 1-3 on the season, good for last place in the AFC East four games in.
But we learned so much more about the Patriots in a losing effort. There was actually plenty to be encouraged about as they go forward without Mac Jones (high ankle sprain) and possibly Brian Hoyer (concussion).
What did we learn?
The Patriots are tough. They’re resilient. They’re gutsy.
We learned Bill Belichick still hasn’t lost his fastball. He still knows how to coach, especially under dire circumstances. We also discovered Matt Patricia is getting the hang of calling offense, especially considering he had to deal with having the backup to the backup in the game.
It’s hard not giving Patricia props for how he handled the situation, and how he deftly got the offense moving against a good defense with Zappe at the controls. Same with Belichick, who was with Zappe after every series. Ditto Joe Judge, who helped the rookie keep his wits.
And the kid quarterback ain’t too bad, either. Zappe acquitted himself quite well under the circumstances, completing 10 of 15 passes for 99 yards and a touchdown.
The Patriots did their best to will themselves to a victory, only to come up short. There was no shame in that.
Offensive captain David Andrews said there was a lot of trust in the players in locker room, and a lot of trust in the coaches. And that showed in the performance.
“I can’t guarantee wins, but if we compete and work like we did out there today, the results will take care of themselves eventually,” Andrews said following the loss. “You come in there, already down a quarterback, (and lose him) the second drive against a really good team … I think that says a lot about the team. A lot about the guys in that locker room.”
For much of the game, the Patriots pummeled the Packers defense with their running game, beating them with bully ball with Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson, who combined for 152 yards, running behind a determined offensive line. Kendrick Bourne also chipped in with a 15-yard run.
Defensively, meanwhile, they held Rodgers to 44 passing yards, with an interception — a pick-six by rookie Jack Jones — in the first half before the veteran came to life in the second half. Rodgers & Co. were actually booed off the field at halftime by their faithful Cheeseheads.
Rodgers, however, showed why he’s still one of the best with his performance in the second half. Belichick said in the end, he was “just too good” to overcome.
“We couldn’t quite do enough,” said Belichick. “I thought Bailey really competed well. A lot of guys competed well. We just came up a little short.”
At the outset, the Patriots weren’t supposed to win. They were prohibitive underdogs. This was supposed to be a slaughter.
But they fought like crazy to pull off the upset. And Belichick and his staff coached their collective butts off to try and come away with a win.
Defensive captain Devin McCourty said the Patriots made Rodgers and the Packers “fight for every yard.”
“We played tough,” McCourty said. “I thought some of our young guys stepped up and played well, Marcus (Jones), Jack (Jones), Zap (Zappe). They were thrown in the fire. First time at Lambeau. I thought those guys definitely stepped up and played well. We just have to find ways to win these games.”
Moral victories are for losers, of course. As McCourty said, it’s a “win-loss” league. You’re not measured for close calls. But given who the Patriots were missing, given the adversity factor, this is a game that just might propel them down the road.
There’s plenty to build on after what went down in Green Bay, especially looking ahead on the schedule, where the Patriots are about to hit a favorable stretch of games.
“I’m proud of the way we fought, handled adversity,” said Andrews, later adding, “If you’re afraid to rise to the challenge, you’re in the wrong sport or profession.”
Zappe, the team’s 4th-round pick, was thrust into action after Hoyer suffered a concussion after getting sacked on the final play of the second series.
His first play under center came backed up on the Patriots’ 8-yard line. Zappe was poised, only made one mistake fumbling on a sack, but allowed the Patriots to stay in the game.
“I thought he led us well. I thought he did a really good job,” said Andrews. “Obviously, there’s some things we got to work on. But I’m proud of the way he competed, man.”
Matthew Judon, who was a pain in Rodgers’ butt all afternoon, said it’s tough having so many guys play so well, but not be rewarded with a win.
“We gotta do something better,” he said. “We gotta play better to win.”
