The New England Patriots' offense has looked much different (and better) the past few weeks.
Not just because Bailey Zappe has been playing quarterback with Mac Jones recovering from a high ankle sprain. But also because the Patriots have turned back to a simplified version of their offense after leaning on a new scheme with Jones over the first three weeks.
This obviously raises two pertinent questions: Will Jones retain his starting job when fully healthy? And if so, what effect, if any, will that have on New England's game plan moving forward?
Patriots head coach Bill Belichick has been noncommittal about the team's QB situation, creating some debate as to whether there's a controversy brewing in Foxboro. But ESPN's Mike Reiss reported Thursday that Jones "expects to be available" for the Patriots' Week 7 matchup against the Chicago Bears, and The Athletic's Jeff Howe followed up by reporting Jones will be the starter when healthy enough to play.
As for what Jones' return would mean for the offense, Pro Football Focus' Doug Kyed wrote this week the Patriots have been using more play-action, screens and short passes with Zappe behind center. It's been a successful formula, and therefore it's not necessarily a given New England suddenly will expand the playbook whenever Jones steers the ship.
"A source indicated that Jones would welcome a middle ground between the aggressive approach New England was using with him at quarterback and the safer and more efficient plays Zappe has been running," Kyed wrote Wednesday in a separate piece for PFF. "More play action, in particular, would benefit Jones."
As Kyed notes, the Patriots ranked third in EPA per play over the last two weeks, after ranking 22nd in Jones' three starts. New England won back-to-back games over the Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns in that stretch -- after taking the Green Bay Packers to overtime in Week 4 -- and owns a .500 record (3-3) ahead of welcoming the lowly Bears to Gillette Stadium on Monday night.
The Patriots took a lot of heat over the summer while trying to install elements of a new offensive scheme under Belichick, Matt Patricia and Joe Judge. The criticism, in many ways, was substantiated early in the season, though the offense made some strides in Week 3 before Jones suffered his injury on New England's final offensive snap against the Baltimore Ravens.
Add everything together, while sprinkling in (potentially inaccurate?) whispers of a strained relationship between Jones and the organization, and you have the makings of a fascinating 2022 season unfolding in New England.
