GREEN BAY, Wis. — As Brian Hoyer walked off the sphere Sunday, head down and carrying his staff’s greatest hopes of an upset into the locker room, the Patriots turned to a fourth-round rookie.
Bailey Zappe, their final remaining quarterback, had no alternative however to interchange Hoyer and make his NFL debut in opposition to Aaron Rodgers with three-plus quarters nonetheless to play. The sound of 81,441 sturdy crashed upon him at Lambeau Field. As Zappe navigated his preliminary nerves and steered into three straight punts and a fumble, one other fourth-round rookie gave him a elevate.
Trailing 7-3 with lower than 30 seconds earlier than halftime, Pats cornerback Jack Jones jumped a careless Rodgers throw on the proper sideline. Pick. Then, he gained a 40-yard foot race to the tip zone. Touchdown.
Improbably, the Pats led the NFC’s prime seed for 2 straight seasons with two quarters to go. Then, breaking from the locker room, Zappe and Co. did sufficient to match the Packers for these quarters.
But extra time, in opposition to that quarterback and that staff, was one job too tall for the children.
Green Bay kicker Mason Crosby drilled a 31-yard discipline aim as time expired to clinch a 27-24 win on a cold Wisconsin night time. The Patriots fell to 1-3, not sure of whether or not Hoyer, who was dominated out with a head damage after two collection, can play subsequent week. Zappe went 10-of-15 for 99 yards and a landing in his place, even because the Pats’ remaining three drives, all run-heavy, resulted in three-and-outs.
“He showed us we can count on him. He did a wonderful job,” Patriots captain Deatrich Wise mentioned. “He led the team when he needed to, took the lead, made the throws he needed to make. And for a first game to come at Lambeau Field, I think he did an awesome job.”
Defensively, the Patriots compelled the Packers right into a three-and-out to begin extra time and survived a possible game-winning landing with 2:02 left in regulation. Dropping again on third-and-8, Rodgers skied a 40-yard sideline bomb into the outstretched arms of rookie receiver Romeo Doubs, who failed to regulate the ball as he tumbled in the long run zone.
The Packers challenged the decision and misplaced, then punted and the clock quickly ran out. The Patriots even undercut Rodgers’ second try at a game-winning drive, with Matt Judon hurrying him right into a third-down incompletion on the primary extra time possession.
But because the Zappe-led offense saved punting, even after beginning at their very own 49-yardline in extra time, Rodgers lastly capitalized over a 12-play march that drained the final 6:47 of the sport. He slung darts all around the discipline, together with a 22-yarder to Allen Lazard, an 11-yarder to Randal Cobb on third down and two brief passes to Doubs that pushed the Packers into discipline aim vary. Rodgers completed 21-of-35 for 251 yards, two touchdowns and a decide in his third head-to-head assembly with Bill Belichick.
“I’d say in the end, Rodgers is just too good,” Belichick mentioned. “He made some throws that only Rodgers can make. We had pretty good coverage on some of those, and he’s just too smart, too good, too accurate.”
Offensively, the Patriots leaned closely on their energy run recreation, as Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson teamed up for 152 yards on 32 carries. Harris scored a go-ahead landing within the third quarter. No Patriot topped 50 yards receiving.
Pats kicker Nick Folk booted a 37-yard discipline aim to cap the Patriots’ opening possession. Hoyer lasted only one extra collection, getting clobbered on third down by Packers exterior linebacker Rashan Gary, who strip-sacked Zappe later within the recreation. Between Hoyer’s drives, Jack Jones compelled and recovered a fumble from Doubs.
Green Bay drew first blood within the second half, cruising 91 yards in 10 performs, the final a 20-yard Rodgers landing go down the center to tight finish Robert Tonyan. The Pats offense answered methodically — and with slightly luck.
Zappe discovered huge receiver Kendrick Bourne for 16 yards off a well-time play-action go, then acquired sacked. But because of an pointless roughness penalty on Packers nostril sort out Kenny Clark, the offense was as an alternative vaulted to midfield. From there, Harris coated 30 yards on 4 straight carries, and Zappe acquired whistled for a delay of recreation penalty, backing the Pats into first-and-15.
Patriots QB Brian Hoyer dominated out of Packers recreation with head damage
And regardless of ready two seconds longer than the play clock allowed on his subsequent snap, Zappe acquired one other play-action go off. This one discovered DeVante Parker streaking left to proper throughout a vacated second stage of the protection for a 25-yard landing and a 17-14 lead.
“I thought some of our young guys really played well: Marcus (Jones), Jack (Jones), Zap. Thrown in the fire, first time at Lambeau, I thought those guys definitely stepped up and played well,” mentioned Patriots security Devin McCourty. “We’ve just gotta find a way to win these games.”
Almost 5 minutes later, Crosby hit a game-tying discipline aim. Crossing into the fourth quarter, Stevenson churned out 38 yards on 4 consecutive carries. Zappe gave him a breather together with his third play-action strike of the half, a 21-yarder to Nelson Agholor. That acquire dropped the Patriots at Green Bay’s 9-yard line, the place Harris took care of the remainder, turning two handoffs into six factors.
Back with the ball at 11:14 to play, Rodgers directed a 9-play drive highlighted by a pair of pinpoint third-down passes. The first, a 24-yard laser over the center to Cobb, sprung the Packers into Patriots territory. The second tied the sport.
Rodgers hit Doubs on a 13-yard, back-shoulder landing go close to the correct pylon. Energized by Rodgers’ reply, Green Bay’s protection sacked Zappe on the following collection, giving the ball again to their 4-time MVP who wanted two extra possessions to attain however finally delivered.
Here had been one of the best and worst Patriot performances from Sunday:
Best
CB Jack Jones The fourth-round rookie regarded like a four-time All-Pro with a pick-six, compelled fumble and fumble restoration.
Run-blocking The Pats averaged 5.1 yards per carry, partly because of the addition of offensive sort out Marcus Cannon, who was used as a second tight finish.
Worst
OT Isaiah Wynn The Patriots’ beginning proper sort out allowed a sack, acquired whistled for holding and a false begin within the staff’s first three drives alone. He later allowed a strip sack deep in Green Bay territory simply earlier than halftime.
Run protection The Pats had been run over for a second straight week, permitting 199 whole yards at a 5.7 yards per carry clip.
Source: www.bostonherald.com