Nitpicks & Nitwits: Who Is Ready To Be Zapped?

The last time the Patriots played at Gillette Stadium, in their home opener just a couple of weeks ago, Bailey Zappe was a third-string quarterback. He wasn’t even active for the game against Baltimore.

Two weeks later, Zappe is rapidly approaching cult-hero status among the faithful after his lead role in a 29-0 whitewashing of the Detroit Lions.

That’s how fast things move in the NFL. One day, you’re an obscure rookie hoping to simply stick around to the next week, happy to be carrying around a clipboard. The next week, you’re at the helm of a social movement.

Or did you not hear the chants of “ZAP-PEE! ZAP-PEE! ZAP-PEE!” at the end of the game Sunday?

“It’s kind of like I’ve always been told, taking advantage of your opportunity,” Zappe told the media. “We had an opportunity (Sunday) as a team to go out there and get a win, and we played really well, played team football.”

Zappe’s contribution:

• 17-of-21 passing, 188 yards, one touchdown and one interception that should have been ZERO interceptions, if not for Nelson Agholor‘s gift to the Lions on a dropped and tipped pass in the second quarter.
• His 80.1 completion percentage for the game makes him the youngest QB in NFL history to complete more than 80% of his passes in his first NFL start…younger by a full year over Rob Johnson and Aaron Rodgers.
• It is also just the 14th time in the 62-year history of the franchise for any Patriots’ QB to throw the ball at that rate or better.

How about this? If not for Agholor’s gaffe, Zappe’s QB rating would have come in at a stellar 119.8, and the completion percentage an unheard of 86%. For a rookie, making his first NFL start?

It’s nuts. Climb on the bandwagon. We’ve all been Zapped.

But we’re not silly enough to think that…that…there might actually be a quarterback c-c-controversy in New England now, are we? Mac Jones is getting healthier. He’s Number One, right? First-round draft pick? The heir-apparent for the Patriots’ future at the position?

Had that argument this week BEFORE the game Sunday. What IF Bailey Zappe turns in a tremendous performance? What IF it takes Jones a bit longer to get back on the field from his high ankle sprain?

Would we – could we – see a repeat from 2001 when a rookie named Tom Brady took over from Drew Bledsoe?

It’s unlikely, right now, of course. No way.

But the point is…we didn’t think much about it 21 years ago, either. Sometimes, history just has a way of zapping all of us at the right time.

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Needs his stick ‘um

One of the major issues in Nelson Agholor’s career has been holding onto the football. Seems like a real necessity for an NFL wide receiver, doesn’t it?

His drop and subsequent tip into the hands of the Lions’ Deshon Elliott in the second quarter not only snuffed out a promising Patriots’ drive, it also handed Detroit a golden opportunity to grab a lead in a 6-0 game at the time.

Which they couldn’t do, and that’s on them. Or maybe the Patriots’ defense. But Agholor? He’s good for at least one of those per game, it seems. Time to try someone, or something else.

4th down do-over?

Following that Detroit interception in the second quarter, the ensuing drive by the Lions eventually had them facing a 4th down-and-nine at the New England 32-yard line. Rather than attempt what would have been a 49 or 50-yard field goal attempt, Coach Dan Campbell opted to go for it.

The result was disastrous for the Lions, as Jared Goff was strip-sacked by Matt Judon and Kyle Dugger scooped the loose ball from the turf and scored 59 yards later.

Think they’d like a do-over on that call? Not the Patriots. It was the deciding swing play in the game. The Lions were also an NFL-game record 0-for-6 on 4th down conversions.

Well, it wasn’t perfect

The weekly whipping boy on the Patriots’ offensive line has, without a doubt, been one-time first-round draftee Isaiah Wynn. Wynn has been good for one or two penalties and/or miscues per game in the first four weeks, and a couple of those have left his quarterbacks loopy.

And hurt.

It wasn’t a clean slate by any means Sunday – Wynn was flagged for holding late in the second quarter (with 27 seconds left on the clock) that turned a possible TD drive into one of five made field goals by Nick Folk (this one from 44 yards) and a 16-0 lead at the half…that could have been more.

There were also two penalties by receiver Kendrick Bourne that turned potential scoring chances around. New England finished 0-for-4 in red zone efficiency.