FOXBORO -- After several days of trying to get a handle on the Patriots quarterback situation, here's what we've learned.
First, as far as players and staff can tell, the quarterback reps in practice this week have been split relatively evenly between Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe. Will Grier and Malik Cunningham may have been told by the coaching staff to be ready to go -- Bill Belichick has said many times this week that he has told all players at all positions to be ready to play -- but they don't appear to be in the running to start.
Second, players have not been told who's starting and can't tell who Belichick's choice will be based on the distribution of the quarterback workload. One starter, curious as to which quarterback would be starting, resorted to asking the quarterbacks themselves. They relayed to him that they weren't sure. Another starter guessed that Jones would be the choice.
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Third, with quarterbacks sharing reps, pass-catchers have acknowledged that the timing and rhythm of the passing game could be impacted on gameday. To establish a more seamless connection with both quarterbacks this week, when the scout-team offense was on the field, offensive regulars went through side sessions with Jones and Zappe to squeeze in additional reps with both.
Additionally, when asked, players did not seem to favor one quarterback over the other. Asked if Belichick choosing one quarterback would provide the rest of the offense a jolt, one starter said no. According to this particular player, it was up to the rest of the offense to elevate its level and as a result provide whichever quarterback was out there some added confidence.
Furthermore, multiple players echoed that which Belichick said at the podium Friday when it came to the inability to "rally" around one obvious starter this week. "I think everyone’s got their own things to work on," Belichick said. "Just concentrate on what you have to do, be ready to go, and don’t worry about what everybody else is doing. I think that’s good advice for all of us."
Some players shared a similar suggestion for the locker room at large this week. The thinking goes as follows: Before openly favoring one quarterback over another, get your own positional house in order.
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How the Patriots choose to handle the most important job on the field Sunday remains to be seen, but whoever is chosen will have a unique challenge on his hands.
The Giants defense has the second-highest blitz rate in the NFL (40.7 percent) under defensive coordinator Wink Martindale, behind only Brian Flores' Vikings (47.4). Regardless of the number of reps taken in practice, the Patriots quarterback behind center will have to be prepared to identify how many rushers are rushing -- and from where -- on a consistent basis.
Perhaps that will give Jones (2,551 career snaps) the advantage over Zappe (245). But as of Friday afternoon, even their teammates weren't sure that would be the case.