Rex Ryan Makes Plea To Bill Belichick After Patriots’ Latest Loss

Rex Ryan has no time for Bill Belichick making a mystery out of the Patriots' starting quarterback position.

Belichick kept that Week 12 distinction under the vest until mere days before New England's matchup with the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Mac Jones ended up starting for the Patriots on Sunday, but he was benched at halftime and set the stage for another forgettable relief appearance from Bailey Zappe.

The Patriots head coach once again kept the guard up a day after his team's 10-7 loss and refused to tip his hand about New England's QB plans for Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers at Gillette Stadium. Ryan, a longtime Belichick nemesis, can't understand why the tight-lipped coach is so hellbent on maintaining secrecy.

"Bill Belichick, please stop. Just name your dang starter," Ryan said Monday morning on ESPN's "Get Up." "It doesn't matter, they both stink. Whether it's Zappe or 'Peashooter' Jones, we don't care. They stink. Just go ahead and save the drama. Like we care about your team. Your team stinks."

There is an outside chance Belichick's upcoming QB decision won't boil down to only Jones and Zappe. While the longtime head coach did acknowledge it's unlikely New England will add a new starting-caliber quarterback this week, Belichick didn't totally rule out making such a move.

Ryan is right, though. Neither Jones nor Zappe -- or any potential newcomer -- gives the Patriots a good chance to win, but exclusively inadequate options should help New England stay in the running for a top-three 2024 draft pick.