Patriots-Browns takeaways: Zappe makes statement with 309-yard day originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
What a difference two weeks makes.
The New England Patriots sat at 1-3 through four games of the 2022 season and were down to their third-string quarterback. Since then, all Bailey Zappe and the Patriots have done is outscore their opponents 66-15 to storm back to .500 after Sunday's impressive 38-15 win over the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium.
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Zappe put on a show in his second NFL start, passing for 309 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Rhamondre Stevenson added two touchdowns on the ground, while the Patriots' defense allowed just one offensive TD in another strong performance.
Breer: Mac Jones' relationship with team 'got a little sideways'
Here are four takeaways from New England's resounding Week 6 victory, which moves the team to 3-3 entering next Monday's game against the Chicago Bears:
Is Bailey Zappe making a case to keep playing?
We've heard repeatedly that there's no quarterback controversy in New England, and that Mac Jones should regain the starting job when he returns from an ankle injury.
But it's becoming harder to ignore Zappe's body of work.
The rookie quarterback played his best game as NFL starter Sunday, completing 24 of 34 passes for 309 yards with two touchdown passes and zero interceptions.
Zappe wasn't perfect; he appeared to miss Hunter Henry on a third-and-goal on New England's opening drive and was strip-sacked by Browns defensive end Myles Garrett later in the quarter when he failed to step up in the pocket.
But the 23-year-old brushed off his slow start to deliver a very strong passing performance, looking poised under pressure as he delivered strikes to open Patriots receivers.
Zappe now has posted a passer rating of above 100 in both of his starts (118.4 against Cleveland) and showed impressive command of the offense against a Browns defense that's clearly better than the lowly Detroit Lions.
There's a good chance Jones starts in Week 7 if healthy. But if Jones struggles early, Bill Belichick may have something to think about.
New rookie connection?
Patriots director of player personnel Matt Groh had to be smiling after two members of his 2022 draft class combined for a touchdown Sunday.
On New England's first drive of the second half, Zappe connected with rookie wide receiver Tyquan Thornton on a 2-yard crossing route for Thornton's first NFL touchdown.
Sunday was Thornton's second NFL game, but he seems to be developing a nice rapport with Zappe. The speedster out of Baylor hauled in four passes for 37 yards against Cleveland and added a second touchdown in the fourth quarter on a well-designed end-around.
Zappe may not have the starting QB job for long, but Thornton's progress is great to see for a Patriots offense that was banged-up at wide receiver this week with Nelson Agholor out and Kendrick Bourne suffering a toe injury in the first quarter.
Finally, a tight end sighting
The Patriots' high-priced tight end duo of Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith has been mostly MIA this season, but both delivered big plays Sunday in Cleveland.
Smith turned heads with a 53-yard reception in the third quarter -- his longest as a member of the Patriots -- that set up the Zappe-to-Thornton TD. On the following drive, Zappe found a wide-open Henry for a 31-yard touchdown strike.
Smith and Henry combined for 122 yards on six catches, reminding fans why the Patriots paid top dollar to acquire them in 2021 free agency.
Defensive front seven stands tall
The Patriots made a concerted effort to stop the NFL's No. 1-ranked rushing attack Sunday. Mission accomplished.
Browns running back Nick Chubb, who entered the game averaging 118.6 rushing yards per game, mustered just 56 ground yards on 12 carries. New England bottled up Kareem Hunt as well, holding Cleveland's RB duo to 68 yards total despite losing top defensive tackle Christian Barmore in the first half.
Defensive coaches Steve Belichick and Jerod Mayo clearly wanted to put the game in Jacoby Brissett's hands, and that strategy worked like a charm, as the former Patriots QB committed three turnovers (two interceptions and a fumble) to stymie any chance of a Browns comeback.
