Belichick: Mac not benched vs. Bears due to performance originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
So much for the New England Patriots' quarterback controversy coming to an end on Monday night.
Despite Mac Jones returning from injury to start in Week 8 vs. the Chicago Bears, there is even more drama surrounding the position in New England. Jones was replaced by rookie QB Bailey Zappe after throwing an interception -- his sixth of the season -- in the second quarter.
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Pats QB situation is a mess as Zappe, Jones struggle in ugly loss vs. Bears
Zappe quickly got the Patriots on the board with a 30-yard TD pass to Jakobi Meyers, then led another scoring drive shortly thereafter. It was all downhill from there though as the Bears went on to win in a 33-14 blowout.
After the game, our Phil Perry asked Patriots head coach Bill Belichick whether Jones' benching was related to his health or the interception.
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"No. We had planned to play -- I told the quarterbacks that we were going to play both of them, so we did," Belichick answered.
Even if Belichick is speaking the truth, the timing of Jones' benching is curious. He was sidelined immediately after the interception and did not return, even with Zappe struggling throughout the second half.
Belichick insisted Jones' performance was not the reason behind him being taken out of the game.
"That's not what it was, but you can write whatever you want to write. That's not what it was," he said.
Jones backed up Belichick's claim that the plan all along was to play both quarterbacks on Monday night.
"Just part of the plan. I think Coach Belichick did a really, really good job of explaining it to me," Jones said. "I knew what the plan was and the timing is the timing, but we were on the same page and there's no hard feelings or anything.
"I wish I played better when I was in there, but I'll hopefully have a chance to do that in practice and kind of earn that back and apply it in the game."
The Patriots will take a 3-4 record into next Sunday's meeting with the New York Jets. There will be no shortage of quarterback discussion leading up to that Week 8 AFC East showdown.
