What Mack Jones, Jacoby Meyers had to say about the “Zape” chant | Jobs Vox

Patriots

“I can play with him any day,” Meyers said of Jones.

For the first three quarters of the game, the Patriots offense looked lifeless.

After a three-and-out to start the game, the crowd at Gillette Stadium began chanting for Bailey Zapp. New England trailed by three at halftime, a sharp deficit against the defending AFC champions.

Although he was sluggish and tired, Mack Jones’ performance on Saturday was one of his best of the season. The loss to the Bengals is one of two games in which Jones has thrown multiple touchdowns without an interception.

When asked how the offense responded in the second half, receiver Jacoby Meyers gave Jones a shout-out for his resilience.

“To be honest, this is not the first time this has happened this year. He handles it all year,” Meyers said. “The guy is ready to hand it to the next guy. But he continues to fight. He takes hits, gets back up. He makes mistakes, he comes back, tries to correct them. Shout out to Mac. This is a physically and psychologically tough guy. I can roll with him any day because at the end of the day, no matter what people say, he’s going to go out there and fight his hardest.”

Jones took responsibility for the offense’s slow start. “Patriots” scored 18 points in the second half, which they missed in the first half.

“I’ve just got to keep working, I’ve got to watch film and keep working together,” Jones said. “We did not give up. We fought and at the end of the day we got more points. And we ball was moving a little. But I just want to capitalize and score more points. So I fall like a quarterback. And very disappointing, but also a lot to look at and realize that we have fighters on this team.”

Jones listed Myers, Kendrick Bourne, Devin McCourt and Matthew Slater among the players he is looking at. He said he doesn’t foresee their fighting spirit changing, even as the Patriots’ playoff chances slip further.

“I was able to watch my first two years here.” Jones said. “And the best players on our team are the toughest players and there are times when I have to be tougher and stand there and screw it up and all that. We’re all out there competing. That’s what it’s all about.”

Sign up for Patriots updates🏈

Get news and analysis delivered to your inbox throughout the football season.