What Bailey Zappe said after replacing Mac Jones in Patriots loss to Bears

Bailey Zappe didn’t start the New England Patriots’ Monday Night Football matchup against the Chicago Bears. But amid showers of rain and chants of “Zappe! Zappe!” the rookie quarterback finished it.

Even if the hot start didn’t last for long.

Both Zappe and starting quarterback Mac Jones appeared at the podium for postgame press conferences after Monday night’s loss at Gillette Stadium. Zappe was the first Patriot to take to the mic after the losses and was therefore the first to address the curious situation surrounding the team’s quarterback situation.

Here’s a full rundown of everything Zappe had to say after Monday’s game:

On his understanding of the quarterback situation heading into the game

“Yeah, I think that is something, you know, for Coach Belichick. I prepared this week like I have every other week. I prepared as if I was going to play or not. This game didn’t go our way, so get back to work this week, and get ready for the Jets.”

On his range of emotions going from the hot start to the second half

“Yeah, just got to get better. Can’t fall off like I did. I’ve got to make some throws. I’ve got to make better decisions on certain things. That’s the good thing about having another week. Get back at it tomorrow. Watch film tomorrow. Get ready for next week.”

On the message he received going into the game, and whether there was a chance Mac Jones would return

“Nothing to my knowledge. Of course, that’s something that’s for Coach Belichick. My job was to go in there and get the ball to my playmakers. I need to do a better job of that going into next week.”

On the weather conditions making it hard to handle the ball

“I wouldn’t say it was difficult. It’s something that we practiced. That play, that’s something that we just have to correct moving forward, but I wouldn’t say that that’s anything that we didn’t expect. We expected a wet ball. We practiced a wet ball. So we were prepared for that.”

On whether he knew both quarterbacks were going to play tonight

“I prepare like I have every other week, and if that decision was made for me to go in, then I was going to go out there and do the best for my team.”

On why he didn’t run much in the game

“More of the situation wasn’t right. You know, like I said, there are some things I need to do better at, better decision-making. Some of those, maybe I can scramble or get some yards or maybe I can dump it down to check down and just take the profit. That’s the thing, watch film tomorrow and get better.”

On whether he got first-team reps in practice

“That’s a question – moving on to the Jets, actually. So getting ready for them.”

On whether he felt prepared, and if having two quarterbacks makes it difficult to prepare

“You take mental reps whenever you’re not in. That’s another way that you can prepare throughout the week. It’s not all physical. So whenever you’re not in standing behind the quarterbacks taking mental reps, that’s another way you can do it throughout the week.”

On Bears defenders getting hands on passes at the line of scrimmage

“I mean, that just goes on to me. I have to do a better job of getting around defenders, finding lanes to get it to receivers. Of course, that’s something else that I continue to work on. So, I just have to get better finding lanes, getting around defenders, getting over top of them, around them, whatever it may be.”

On when he knew Mac Jones was going to start the game

“About the same time y’all did. I prepare like I have every other week like I was one play away and getting ready for every game like I have the last seven weeks, and same thing I’m going to do this next week.”

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