Second-year quarterback Bailey Zappe got the start for the Patriots in their preseason opener on Thursday night against the Texans. He completed 12-of-14 pass attempts for 79 yards.
As you’d expect, the Patriots’ decision to start Zappe sparked speculation about a quarterback controversy in New England. After all, Bill Belichick hasn’t complimented Mac Jones since his rookie season.
After the Patriots’ loss to the Texans, Zappe was asked about the team’s quarterback room heading into September. The Western Kentucky product did a great job handling the media.
“I mean, I think the quarterback room, like I said, we all want to win,” Zappe said. “That’s the main objective of everybody on this team. We want to do what’s best for the team. I mean, that’s pretty much as simple as it can be.”
Bailey Zappe on Pats QB room: “We want what’s best for the team. We want to win no matter who is out there” pic.twitter.com/GPibRBDXiC
— NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSBoston) August 11, 2023
That’s the type of answer Belichick wants to hear.
Zappe showed promise as a rookie in 2022, completing 70.7 percent of his pass attempts for 781 yards with five touchdowns and three interceptions. He’ll need to be even better over the next few weeks in order to win the starting gig.