FOXBORO, Mass. — The Patriots have the most effective backup quarterbacks within the NFL.
Jacoby Brissett proved that in Sunday’s win over the New York Jets.
Brissett started the season as a starter, which proved to be a disastrous formulation for an offense devoid of expertise and continuity. The Patriots couldn’t afford to maintain rolling him on the market with shaky offensive line play, untrustworthy receivers and an elementary system, so that they moved to a higher-upside possibility in Drake Maye in Week 6.
Maye left Sunday’s contest with a concussion, nonetheless, which allowed Brissett to return to the lineup and show that he was no less than able to conserving issues afloat amid the chaos — to the shock of nobody within the Patriots’ locker room.
“(Jacoby’s) a vet. I imply, it’s not like he’s by no means been put in that state of affairs,” Christian Gonzalez mentioned following the sport. “I imply, he got here in, we rallied behind him. We’re excited he went on the market and dealt with enterprise on the offensive facet.”
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New England is higher with Maye within the beginning lineup, however Brissett’s skill to steer the unit in uncomfortable moments is invaluable in his new function. The Patriots aren’t ever going to win a battle of expertise, so having a veteran quarterback who can are available and instill confidence when occasions are robust can’t be neglected — particularly whenever you see what different groups are rolling out there.
“Jacoby’s a confirmed vet, a man that’s been round, performed loads of soccer, clearly performed loads of video games with us this yr,” Hunter Henry mentioned on Sunday. “He needed to sit the final couple weeks, however he’s all the time prepared, man. For him to step up, lead a giant drive to win the sport was enormous and I used to be tremendous completely happy to go on the market and compete with him.”
“Yeah, that’s unbelievable educating, unbelievable chief. There’s a cause why he’s a group captain. He does a lot like earlier than we even get out on the sector, he does a lot in (the locker room),” Austin Hooper echoed. “To have the ability to talk with everyone, get everyone on the identical web page, changes, the whole lot. Then when you get on the sector, the command he has within the huddle, being a veteran quarterback, you’d count on that. He bought within the huddle, he instructed everybody, ‘All proper, take a deep breath, let’s go to work.’ So, I imply when there’s chaos occurring, he by no means wavers. That’s why he’s a group captain.
“You bought two choices, you both fold otherwise you battle. Thank God Drake’s going be alright, however we’ve bought Jacoby, too, who has gained right here. You don’t actually blink. (It’s a) subsequent man up mentality. It’s cliché however when conditions like this come up, it involves fruition.”
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Brissett didn’t simply fall right into a state of affairs the place he may trip the coattails of his teammates to a victory, both. The Patriots scored on three of their 5 offensive drives within the second half — all whereas trailing — to finally safe their first victory in seven weeks.
“He has held his state of affairs this season with poise. He has been nothing in need of wonderful in his function in dealing with adversity; he has executed a terrific job at that,” Jonathan Jones mentioned. “He blocked out the noise, he got here in and was a pacesetter. He did the whole lot we wanted him to do.”
