Mac Jones' return to the New England Patriots didn't go smoothly.
Jones threw a bad interception and early in the second quarter, he was replaced by rookie Bailey Zappe. There were reports that Bill Belichick planned to play both quarterbacks, but Jones' early struggles might have sped up the decision to get Zappe in the game.
Zappe immediately drove the Patriots downfield and threw a 30-yard touchdown to a wide-open Jakobi Meyers.
Jones didn't start Monday night's game that well. The Patriots fell behind the Chicago Bears 10-0. A few fans started chanting for Zappe after the Bears scored their first touchdown late in the first quarter.
In the second quarter, Jones gave Bill Belichick a prime chance to make a change. Jones rolled right and made the horrendous decision to float up a pass to tight end Jonnu Smith down the sideline. That made it easy for Bears rookie safety Jaquan Brisker to break on the ball, and he made a nice one-handed interception. That came with the Patriots in field-goal range. It was a bad play.
On the Patriots' next series, Zappe came in. Fans cheered when Zappe came on the field.
Jones missed three games with a high-ankle sprain. In that time, Zappe looked pretty good. The Patriots won both of his starts (Brian Hoyer started the first game after Jones' injury, but was knocked out in the first quarter with a concussion). The Patriots leaked to the media that there would be no quarterback controversy and Jones would start when he was healthy, but there was still the possibility of Jones struggling and Zappe getting the call.
That happened earlier than expected. Jones lasted a little more than a quarter before ceding some snaps to Zappe. Whether the Patriots wanted it or not, the quarterback controversy is happening.
