As debuts go, not many can prime Patriots rookie Bailey Zappe’s opening act.
Save for shedding, his welcome to the NFL second doesn’t get significantly better.
After beginning the sport on the sidelines because the backup to Brian Hoyer — the primary time he held that task — Zappe was thrust into motion within the first quarter after Hoyer was dominated out with a concussion.
So this was no mop-up task. This was a help-win-us-the sport task.
Zappe was compelled to return in chilly, at hostile Lambeau Field, squared off in opposition to Aaron Rodgers.
And for his first collection, he needed to begin on his personal eight-yard line following a punt, with the Patriots trailing 7-3.
Talk about intimidating. Talk concerning the sort of stuff that makes even the hardest athletes quiver, right here was Zappe, the Patriots fourth-round decide, known as in to steer on the hallowed Lambeau floor together with his again up in opposition to the enemy finish zone.
He had barely gotten in for a lot of observe snaps for the reason that common season started. But when starter Mac Jones couldn’t observe with a excessive ankle sprain, he fell in line behind Hoyer.
His calm and his poise have been notable, even in defeat. The truth he took the Patriots to additional time earlier than shedding 27-24, left a constructive impression.
“Starting your first drive in the NFL, backed up on Lambeau Field, that’s pretty tough,” middle David Andrews mentioned of Zappe. “I think he did a really good job commanding the huddle, so year, that was tough.”
Play caller Matt Patricia led with the run to take stress of his rookie, however that was probably the identical plan he had cooked up for for Hoyer.
And whereas the Patriots ran the ball effectively with Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson, Zappe nonetheless wanted to make his share of throws.
He completed 10 for 15 for 99 yards with a landing, as he discovered DeVante Parker with a 25-yard landing move to complete off an 8-play drive within the third quarter.
“Once the game started, I kind of settled in and focused on the task at hand, especially when I went in,” mentioned Zappe. “My main objective was to do my job, and do it well.”
One by one, his teammates patted him on the again following the sport.
“Huge shout out to Zappe, man, for the way he stepped up in that game,” mentioned Matthew Judon. “I don’t even believe he took that many reps with the ones, and the way he played, and the poise he had. That’s amazing for a rookie. That’s good for our team, but big shout out to him for just being ready.”
For his half, Zappe credited the coaches — Bill Belichick, Matt Patricia, Joe Judge — for preserving him calm. Zappe mentioned he settled down after the primary play, after his first handoff, however was nonetheless grateful for all the assistance on the sidelines.
“They kept me going, they kept getting the nerves out of me,” mentioned Zappe. “They kept me in my space, cool, calm and collected. And, everybody played well. The O-line played well, we ran the ball well, it really just comes to me. I just gotta make more plays.”
Zappe mentioned it wasn’t arduous “giving the ball to the playmakers, and letting them do what they do best.”
Harris (86 yards) and Stevenson (66 yards) did a lot of the harm on the bottom, with Zappe making a number of performs to maintain drives alive. He led two scoring drives, whereas the Jack Jones pick-six accounted for the opposite rating within the loss.
Head coach Belichick was additionally happy with the hassle of his fourth-round decide.
“I thought Bailey really competed well,” Belichick mentioned of his rookie.
The Patriots didn’t win, and that was the style that was left in Zappe’s mouth after a stellar effort, given the circumstances.
“Of course, losing the game is always the worst thing,” he mentioned. “Everybody will look back at the things we could have done differently. But I felt we played well as a team tonight.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com