How Scott Zolak Reacted To Patriots Benching Mac Jones Vs. Giants

Scott Zolak saw enough from New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones at MetLife Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Jones threw a pair of first-half interceptions and was benched to start the second half. Backup quarterback Bailey Zappe replaced Jones behind center, a decision that was a no-brainer to all those watching the Week 12 matchup.

“This is the right decision here,” the former Patriots quarterback and team’s current radio broadcaster said on 98.5 The Sports Hub at the start of the second half. “Mac Jones right now is broken.”

Jones has been benched four times this season, the last two coming with a win still on the table.

Zolak and many others believed Jones was broken both mentally and physically even before Sunday’s kickoff. Jones, after all, was pulled in crunch time of New England’s Week 10 loss to the Indianapolis Colts — the last time the Patriots stepped on the field. Belichick opted for Zappe rather than Jones with the international game on the line.

“You’ve got to give your team a chance,” Zolak said on the broadcast.

Zolak called for the change immediately after Jones’ second interception of the contest, and he certainly was not alone.

Mac Jones is not it. The Patriots have to regroup from him. When he skipped to that stage at the draft we thought “oooohhh what a perfect Pats QB”. We were dead wrong. They have ruined one another. This looks sad as hell.

Tom = Patriots Way.

Throw that 💩 in the trash.

— Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) November 26, 2023

Mac is broken

Feels like you have to just sit him down. Patriots career may be over if you do…..

— Dan Orlovsky (@danorlovsky7) November 26, 2023

It has to be over for Mac Jones at this point.

— Doug Kyed (@DougKyed) November 26, 2023

I don’t care if you have zero confidence in Bailey Zappe….

You have to sit Mac Jones for the 2nd half

Thought Mac needed a mental week off as his confidence seemed shot after loss in Germany #NEvsNYG

— Dan Roche (@RochieWBZ) November 26, 2023

Zappe led an 11-play, 60-yard scoring drive on New England’s first possession of the second half. Some will consider that a step in the right direction, but others paying close attention to the NFL draft board might have wanted to stick with Jones considering his struggles.