The New England Patriots are reportedly going back to Mac Jones on Monday Night Football.
According to Sports Illustrated‘s Albert Breer, Jones will make his first start since injuring his ankle at the end of Week 3.
New England hasn’t formally named a starting quarterback, but the team didn’t elevate Garrett Gilbert from the practice squad. That signaled the Patriots will at least activate Jones for Monday’s game against the Chicago Bears.
Given Bailey Zappe’s success, fans think the pressure is on Jones to secure the starting job in his return.
Zappe, a rookie drafted in the fourth round out of Western Kentucky, has posted a 111.4 quarterback rating with 8.4 yards per pass attempt in three games. He led the Patriots to consecutive victories as a starter.
New England has scored 91 points in three games without Jones after settling for 50 in his three starts. As a result, the 2021 first-round pick may not have too much margin for error.
Jones has thrown five interceptions this season, three in his last game against the Baltimore Ravens, but the 24-year-old still appears to be the organization’s long-term answer under center.
The game will kick off at 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN.