Even without their starting and backup quarterback, the New England Patriots are finding ways to win football games. Led by third-string QB Bailey Zappe, the Pats delivered a shutout 29-0 win against the Detroit Lions on Sunday to improve to a 2-3 record and keep their playoff chances alive.
Zappe, a fourth-round pick in 2022, showed composure in his first career start despite throwing an interception midway through the second quarter. The Western Kentucky University product finished the contest by completing 81.0 percent of his passes while throwing for 188 yards and a touchdown.
“It’s kind of like I’ve always been told, take advantage of your opportunity,” Zappe said after the game.
The Pats also did most of the damage on offense with the running game. The second year back Rhamondre Stevenson had arguably his best game as a pro, rushing for 161 yards on 25 carries.
Of course, New England’s defense did its fair share of the heavy lifting in this game, stopping the Lions’ attack, which was the league’s most prolific throughout the first four weeks. The Pats’ had 70 tackles as a team and sacked Detroit’s quarterback Jared Goff two times while also forcing two turnovers. Safety Kyle Dugger took advantage of one of those turnovers, a fumble, and returned it 59 yards for a TD.
The Pats will play the next game against the Cleveland Browns, looking for an opportunity to get back to .500. On the other hand, the 1-4 Lions sit at the bottom of the NFC North and will face the red-hot Dallas Cowboys next week.
