The Cleveland Browns are preparing for the possibility that Mac Jones will be healthy enough to quarterback the New England Patriots on Sunday.
But they know this week's game will be no cakewalk even if Bailey Zappe gets the nod.
Zappe piloted the Patriots to a 29-0 rout of the Detroit Lions last week in his first NFL start, playing smart and efficient football while he leaned on a powerful run game and a suffocating New England defense at Gillette Stadium.
Watching that performance, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski came away impressed.
"Offensively, not sure if we are going to see Mac Jones or Bailey Zappe," Stefanski told reporters Wednesday, via team-released transcript. "We have to prepare for both guys. We saw Mac Jones last year, so we know what he is capable of, and I think this young quarterback, I am very, very impressed with what they have done with him and how he is playing and operating for them right now."
In Stefanski's view, the Patriots' offense is "not a whole lot different" with Zappe at the helm than it has been with Jones behind center.
"They are running the ball really well," the coach told reporters. "They are efficient in the run game. He has a very good understanding in the pass game of where to go with the ball, so some of the dropback, it is progression reads where he is getting through it quickly and getting the ball out of his hands in a timely fashion. I think they are running their offense truly, regardless of who the quarterback is. I think both guys are very talented."
The Patriots blew out Stefanski's Browns 45-7 during last season's seven-game win streak, with Jones enjoying arguably his best game as a pro (19-for-23, 198 yards, three touchdowns, no turnovers) and Rhamondre Stevenson rushing for 100 yards and two scores in a breakout performance.
Regardless of who starts at QB, Cleveland can expect to see a heavy dose of Stevenson in this week's rematch. Starting Patriots running back Damien Harris is dealing with a hamstring injury that could sideline him for multiple weeks, and the Browns have the NFL's 32nd-ranked run defense by Football Outsiders' DVOA, allowing more than 200 rushing yards in each of their last two games.
