Kurt Warner weighs in on Mac Jones vs. Bailey Zappe debate originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Few quarterbacks are more qualified than Kurt Warner to discuss taking advantage of an opportunity as a backup.
With the St. Louis Rams in 1999, Warner was the second-string QB behind Trent Green. He took over as the starter after Green suffered a torn ACL in a preseason game, then led the Rams to a championship while earning NFL MVP and Super Bowl MVP honors.
Curran: QB controversy? Not if Mac Jones is who we think he is
The New England Patriots don’t exactly have a Trent Green-Kurt Warner situation on their hands, but they do have a mini quarterback controversy with rookie signal-caller Bailey Zappe playing well in Mac Jones’ absence. With Zappe leading the Pats to wins in their last two games, Bill Belichick has a decision to make when Jones is healthy enough to return to the field.
On a new episode of the Next Pats Podcast, Warner joins Phil Perry to share his thoughts on the Patriots’ QB situation, and who he believes Belichick will roll with going forward.
Next Pats Podcast: Kurt Warner weighs in on Mac Jones vs. Bailey Zappe controversy | Listen & Follow | Watch on YouTube
“I think the bottom line is Mac was really good last year when they had a good defense and they ran the football really well and they went on a run. That’s what they’re doing right now with Bailey,” Warner said. “And I think the bottom line really comes down to, which of these two guys do you think is better? Which of these guys do you believe can be your long-term answer? I haven’t seen anything from Mac Jones or anything from Bailey that I say, ‘Oh my gosh, you’ve got to go with Bailey because he does this better than Mac.’ So I would be hard-pressed to think that they’re not going to go back to Mac.
“I think this gives you that luxury of saying ‘Mac, get healthy. We feel comfortable with the young guy and he’s playing well, and we’re not asking him to do too much. We’re comfortable with that, so you can get fully healthy and get back in there.'”
Warner likens the Jones-Zappe situation to a similar “QB controversy” that played out with the Dallas Cowboys.
“I think the other thing too is you always have to see these guys play an extended period of time to really get an idea of who they are,” he said. “I think a great example is Cooper Rush in Dallas. And Cooper’s played great, and he won a lot of games for them, but then they play against Philadelphia and I think everyone kind of sees this is probably why Cooper Rush has been a backup for a number of years. When you ask him to carry your team, he’s not necessarily that guy. A good guy to come off the bench and win you a couple of games, but probably not the guy that’s going to carry you to that championship-type level.
“I think that becomes the question here with New England too. Bailey’s played great, let’s see him a little bit more and let’s see him against good defenses, and let’s see him when he’s challenged and he has to throw the ball 35, 40 times to win the game. That may give you a better indication of where the Patriots should go long-term.”
Jones has a chance to return next Monday night when the Patriots host the Chicago Bears. If Zappe makes another start and continues to play well, we can expect a real QB controversy heading into Week 8 at the New York Jets.
Also in the new episode: Warner explains why he’s been impressed with Zappe “understanding the game.” Have the Pats simplified the offense with Zappe? Plus Warner on his relationship with Zappe and how his underdog confidence has translated on the field.
Check out the latest episode of the Next Pats Podcast on the NBC Sports Boston Podcast Network, or watch it on YouTube below:
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