Patriots' Zappe Hopes to Fix 2nd-Half Struggles vs. Broncos

New England Patriots Bailey Zappe has endured his share of second-half struggles. It is a trend he hopes to reverse against the Denver Broncos on Christmas Eve.

FOXBORO — If the first half of pro football games represents “the best of times” for New England Patriots quarterback Bailey Zappe, the second half may as well be “the worst of times.”

While the Dickens-esque melodrama of the aforementioned sentiments may seem a bit much to describe regular-season NFL matchups, Zappe is well-aware of the ebb and flow to his performance as the Patriots starter.

“I think it's important for me to put a full game together.” Zappe told reporters on Wednesday. “First halves been great. Second halves haven’t been so good. So, I think if I'm able to go out there and execute and run the offense the way it's supposed to be run for two halves, I think we’ll score a lot more points. So that directly reflects on me doing my job well and then that relates to everybody else.”

New England Patriots quarterback Bailey Zappe winds up to pass during an NFL football practice,  :: (AP Photo/Steven Senne)AP

The Pats second-year starter has been quite an effective first-half field general over his last two starts. In New England’s Week 14 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, Zappe sizzled to the tune of 14 of 21 for 196 yards and three touchdowns. When facing the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs last Sunday, the Western Kentucky once again dealt a first-half gem, completing 17 of 19 passes for 141 yards and an impressive 16-yard touchdown to tight end Hunter Henry.

However, his second-half swoon is telling a different tale. Against the Steelers, the 24-year-old managed only five completions for 44 yards and a third-quarter interception. In the Patriots’ eventual loss to the Chiefs in Week 15, Zappe connected on just six passes for 39 yards which Chiefs’ defensive back Willie Gay ran back 24 yards to the New England 7.

While the Pats 2024 fourth-rounder has proven himself to be a better playmaker than his predecessor, Mac Jones, he must improve his processing time to be an effective starter. In the face of pressure, Zappe frequently held the ball longer than he should, while having difficulty with both pre-and-post snap reads. As the Pats prepare for their Christmas Eve matchup with the Denver Broncos on Sunday night, he is seemingly focused on improving his fundamentals. 

“I think a little bit of it is just continuing to go through the system,” Zappe said. “Do what the coaches are teaching you to doing … going through your reads and taking the first up on a guy and not trying to make a play. Just not forcing anything, just playing within the system. As long as you do that, the system has been great for however many years. I just got to follow the system.”

While Zappe is justifiably taking responsibility for his miscues, injuries along the offensive line have also played a significant role in his difficulties. In Week 15, he was sacked four times, while finding himself under pressure on 37.1 percent of his drop-back. The Chiefs generated pressure on eight of their 14 blitzes, with three of Zappe’s absorbed sacks coming under duress. In fact, offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien appeared to adopt more of a run-heavy game plan in the wake of his quarterback’s second-half interceptions. 

Still, Zappe is undaunted by his struggles — instead choosing to remain faithful in O’Brien’s game planning. 

“No, I don't see that,” Zappe said in opposition to the current narrative surrounding him. “I think a lot of it is situational stuff that's happened … we wanted to kind of get the run going and everything. I don't see it as, ‘I throw an interception, oh wait, my leash is going to get pulled up’. I don't think so. I don't see it as him pulling the leash back or anything.”

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Whether O’Brien’s intentions have purely coincidental will ultimately prove to be inconsequential when the Pats take the field in Denver on Christmas Eve. In addition to generating pressure from both the middle and the edge, Denver’s secondary is quite adept at keeping opposing pass-catchers from breaking for big plays. During the team's five-game winning streak, the Broncos forced 16 turnovers and consistently set up the offense on short fields. In short, Zappe will have his hands full in Mile High — a fact of which he is well-aware. 

“They're a great all-around defense,” Zappe said of his Week 16 opponents. “Coached well, you know, D-line's good. Linebacker group's good. Their back end's good. So, to me, it’s really up to us to execute what we're trying to attack. You know, just all on the same page. Communicate well and just try to go out there and play football.”

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