FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Before Bailey Zappe dropped under center last Sunday, the last rookie quarterback drafted outside the first round to start in New England was Jacoby Brissett.
In 2016, Brissett took over for an injured Jimmy Garoppolo, who had replaced a suspended Tom Brady. The Patriots had three days to prepare their third-string rookie for a Thursday night showdown against a tough Texans team in Week 3. He delivered.
Brissett played mistake-free football, going 11 of 19 for 103 yards around eight rushes for 48 yards and a touchdown. The Patriots shut out the Texans, 27-0, just like they blanked the Lions last weekend with Zappe.
Nowadays, Brissett is playing placeholder for the Browns, completing 64% of his passes for 212 yards per game with five touchdowns and three interceptions.
According to Patriots Coach Bill Belichick, he’s still playing safe, smart football.
“Jacoby looks like Jacoby,” Belichick said. “He’s a big kid with a strong arm. He’s tough, and he’s smart. He does a good job with the system that they’re running. He does a good job with it and doesn’t turn the ball over.”
On Wednesday, Brissett was asked to describe his one-year stint with the Patriots, who traded him to Indianapolis before their 2017 season opener.
“A lot of good memories,” Brissett told local reporters. “I got my first start there … some of the guys there are still on the team, so I know those guys. Obviously, great coaches, good players, good vets, good guys who understand the system that they’ve been running for a while. So yeah, a really good team.”
Brissett lost his second and final start in New England, a 16-0 home shutout versus the Bills.
But the memory of his first win remains fresh; specifically how Belichick schemed around him to pull off a win on a short week.
“Just playing good football around the quarterback,” he said. “I know it was helping me out in that way as far as not asking the quarterback to do everything for him, and that helped me when we played, stuff like that.”
Naturally, Brissett sees parallels between his rookie self and Zappe.
Zappe could earn his second career start Sunday at Cleveland.
The 29-year-old Brissett said he’s kept in touch with a few Patriots players, including captain Devin McCourty. On Wednesday, McCourty had high praise for his former teammate, who left the Colts for Miami last year before signing with Cleveland.
“He’s a hard worker. He hung onto every word (in New England). He’s tough,” McCourty said. “Just to see him having some success, and getting another opportunity to go lead a football team, has been cool to see.”
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