FOXBORO — Before Bailey Zappe dropped underneath heart final Sunday, the final rookie quarterback drafted exterior the primary spherical to start out in New England was Jacoby Brissett.
In 2016, Brissett took over for an injured Jimmy Garoppolo, who had briefly changed a suspended Tom Brady. The Pats had three days to arrange their third-string rookie for a Thursday night time showdown towards a troublesome Texans workforce in Week 3. He delivered.
Brissett performed largely mistake-free soccer, going 11-of-19 for 103 yards round eight rushes for 48 yards and a landing. The Patriots shut out the Texans 27-0, identical to they blanked the Lions final weekend with Zappe.
Nowadays, Brissett is taking part in placeholder for the Browns, finishing 64% of his passes for 212 yards per recreation with 5 touchdowns and three interceptions. According to Bill Belichick, he’s nonetheless taking part in protected, good soccer.
“Jacoby looks like Jacoby,” Belichick stated. “He’s a big kid with a strong arm. He’s tough, and he’s smart. He does a good job with the system that they’re running,. He does a good job with it and doesn’t turn the ball over.”
On Wednesday, Brissett was requested to explain his outdated workforce and his one-year stint with the Patriots, who traded him to Indianapolis earlier than their 2017 season opener.
“A lot of good memories,” Brissett informed native reporters. “I got my first start there … some of the guys there are still on the team, so I know those guys. Obviously, great coaches, good players, good vets, good guys who understand the system that they’ve been running for a while. So yeah, a really good team.”
Brissett misplaced his second and closing begin in New England, a 16-0 dwelling shutout versus the Bills. But the reminiscence of his first win stays recent; particularly how Belichick schemed round him to drag off a win on a brief week.
“Just playing good football around the quarterback,” he stated. “I know it was helping me out in that way as far as not asking the quarterback to do everything for him and that helped me when we played, stuff like that.”
Naturally, Brissett sees parallels between his rookie self and Zappe, who’s the one different non-first spherical rookie quarterback to start out for the Patriots underneath Belichick. Zappe might earn his second profession begin Sunday at Cleveland, relying on whether or not Mac Jones is wholesome sufficient to return from his excessive ankle sprain.
Brissett stated he’s saved in contact with a number of Patriots gamers, together with captain Devin McCourty. On Wednesday, McCourty had excessive reward for his former teammate, who left the Colts for Miami final 12 months earlier than signing with Cleveland.
“He’s a hard worker. He hung onto every word (in New England). He’s tough,” McCourty stated. “Just to see him having some success, and getting another opportunity to go lead a football team, has been cool to see.”
Ex-teammates are the one ones in New England with nice respect for Brissett. Pats exterior linebacker Matt Judon, who confronted Brissett when he performed with the Colts and Judon was in Baltimore, defined Thursday why he holds the 29-year-old passer in such excessive regard.
“I have a lot of respect for Jacoby as a player and as a man. Wherever he goes and whatever’s asked of him and whatever responsibility he’s had with the team, he puts his best foot forward,” Judon stated. “And that doesn’t matter whether or not he was right here or in Indy or with Miami, each time he will get within the recreation he produces like he’s proper now.
“He’s playing very well for this team, and he’s a catalyst for their offense.”
Judon’s associate in pass-rush crime, Deatrich Wise, agreed.
“He loves to get his ball out quickly, has his favorite target, but loves to show love to all his receivers. He has the ability to lead his team, and overall, a really good, good quarterback,” Wise stated. “He does everything well. He’s a well-rounded guy, and that’s what makes him good.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com