It’s no secret the Patriots’ offense has looked better on paper since rookie fourth-round pick Bailey Zappe stepped in early in the game against the Packers three weeks ago. Points are up, turnovers are down, the entire operation appears to be rolling along more smoothly than it was to start the season.

The question now has been just how much Zappe’s presence in place of Mac Jones has led to that improvement. Is it coloration, just good timing, or coincidence? Some have pointed to the dip in the quality of the Patriots’ opponents during that span (Cleveland ranks 29th in defense so far this season, while Detroit is dead last). Others have noted stylistic and schematic offensive adjustments, which have resulted in the Patriots asking less of the quarterback position than they did when Jones was under center. Examples include more play-action calls, bigger personnel sets, and more balanced wide receiver usage.

On Monday morning, Belichick was asked about adjustments made to the offense with Zappe under center, and if he feels the offense has been ‘condensed and less complex’ the last three games. “Well, we always try to do what we feel like gives us the best chance to win and gives our team the most success,” Belichick said. “We’ll always do that. I don’t think that will ever change no matter who’s playing, who we’re playing or anything else.”

“We’ve had to make some in-game adjustments the last several weeks, based on how things have shifted, either during the game or the game plan that our opponents have used against us,” he continued. “That’s also part of it as well. That’s football. It’s not about any one player necessarily. It’s about being able to do what you need to do as a team to competitively play and win on the field.”

While that’s not a definitive ‘yes,’ it’s certainly not a no. It does sound like the Patriots are operating differently with Zappe than they did with Mac, although that may be due to other circumstances beyond the quarterback situation (injuries, lesser opponents).

Whatever the reasons may be, it’s hard to dispute the fact that Zappe is thriving in the Patriots’ “new” offense. It’s a system that is tailored to his skillsets, which is especially important for a young quarterback.

The thing is, there’s a reason teams often draft/sign backup quarterbacks with similar skillsets to their starters – it creates an easier transition if and when they need to make a change due to injury, performance, or whatever else. That’s the case in New England, with Zappe and Jones having thrived in similar offensive systems in college.

Last season, the Patriots did a great job of playing to Jones’ strengths in terms of their offensive setup. They seemed to have gone away from it for the first three weeks, but what they’ve done since – especially for that game against Cleveland – looks like a much more natural fit not just for Zappe, but for him as well. That leaves us with one more question – when Jones does return, which system will the team have him run? Will we get to see an ‘apples-to-apples’ comparison between Jones and Zappe? Or will the team pick up where things left off when Jones got hurt in Week 3?

Mac Jones’ 2022 Game Log

Bailey Zappe’s 2022 Game Log

Alex Barth is a writer and digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Thoughts? Comments? Questions? Looking for a podcast guest? Let him know on Twitter @RealAlexBarth or via email at abarth@985TheSportsHub.com.