Bailey Zappe Energizes Patriots, But New England Trails Bears at Halftime, 20-14

After a disappointing return, Mac Jones was benched in the first half of New England's Monday Night Football game against Chicago.

From fog to ... frenzy to ... sure enough, the return of Zappe Hour.

The New England Patriots looked down right pathetic in falling behind the Chicago Bears, 10-0, early on Monday Night Football. On a wet, dank night in Foxboro - Fogboro? - the defense was a sieve and the return of quarterback Mac Jones was a flop.

But Bill Belichick didn't win six Super Bowls and be on the verge of being the second-winningest coach in NFL history without smarts. And guts.

With New England trailing and Jones having thrown an ugly interception deep in Chicago territory, Belichick ignited Gillette Stadium and his team by benching Jones for rookie Bailey Zappe.

After a Matthew Judon sack of Bears' quarterback Justin Fields, Zappe entered to a standing ovation.

The unflappable, accurate fourth-rounder immediately hit running back Rhamondre Stevenson for a 20-yard swing pass on third down. On the next play, he lofted a 30-yard touchdown to Jakobi Meyers, who made a spectacular falling catch before scrambling to his feet and crossing the goal line.

After a Myles Bryant interception, Zappe hit DeVante Parker with a perfect 43-yard pass down the left sideline. The play set up Stevenson's 4-yard walk-in touchdown and, just like that, the Patriots led 14-10.

The Bears answered New England's quick scores with a 75-yard drive, culminating in Khalil Herbert's scoring scamper on a screen pass from Fields to take a 17-14 lead just inside the two-minute warning.

The Patriots' lost their momentum further when Meyers fumbled what looked like a solid hand-off from Zappe at their 37. Another Judon sack seemingly pushed Chicago out of field-goal range, but Fields scrambled 20 yards on 3rd-and-14. The Bears settled for a field goal and the 20-14 halftime lead.

Jones, who missed the last three games with a sprained ankle, went 3 of 6 for 13 yards and the interception. Zappe completed his first four passes for 97 yards. The three consecutive completions of 20, 30 and 43 yards completely changed the complexion of the first half.

The Patriots' first quarter was, to say the least, uninspiring.

Left tackle Trent Brown committed three penalties (including two holding calls) in the first eight snaps and New England was so discombobulated that Jones got off only one pass attempt in the first two possessions.

The Bears, meanwhile, shredded the Pats' defense early in taking a surprising 10-0 lead. Fields was almost flawless, even completing a 14-yard pass to discarded former Patriot N'Keal Harry before plunging in for a 3-yard touchdown run near the end of the first quarter.

Gillette Stadium almost immediately began booing, and then chanting for Zappe. In the rookie's two starts the Patriots never trailed.

When Jones threw a horrendous interception - his sixth of the season against only two touchdowns - at Chicago's 21-yard line on the third possession, even the ESPN booth began speculating about the re-opening of "Zappe Hour". With tight end Jonnu Smith double-covered down the right sideline, Jones inexplicably floated a pass off his back foot that was easily picked off by Bears' rookie safety Jaquan Brisker.

Zappe entered and four plays later Patriots had life.

And - no denying it any longer - a quarterback controversy.

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