During the Week 12 matchup with the New York Giants, the New England Patriots and their coaching staff decided to shake things up by making a change at quarterback after Mac Jones struggled early and threw two costly interceptions.

Even though he only got to throw 14 passes against the Giants, which resulted in nine completions for 54 yards and an interception, Bailey Zappe seems to have done enough to secure the starting job under center for at least one more week.

The Western Kentucky product clearly didn’t make a huge impression on Bill Belichick and company, but at this point, the team seems to be fed up with Jones’ lack of production and is looking for any boost they can get in the final stretch of the 2023 campaign.

According to Jeff Howe of The Athletic, Zappe will get the nod from the coaching staff for this week’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers, with Malik Cunningham potentially getting some time on the field as well.

Patriots QB Bailey Zappe will indeed start Sunday against the Chargers, per sources. There’s also a package of plays for QB/WR Malik Cunningham. Mac Jones is unlikely to play, unless circumstances change during the game. https://t.co/BbTo4T67eN

— Jeff Howe (@jeffphowe) December 1, 2023

With the rest of the season basically being a lost cause for the Patriots, with the team having won only two games up to this point, Belichick and company will likely be looking to see if Zappe can provide a spark and whether he’s worth keeping on beyond this season.

As for Jones, it appears he’s made his last start for the Patriots and likely won’t get another shot unless Zappe goes down with an injury in the final stretch.

The Chargers, as expected, are favored in this game on the road at Gillette Stadium.

The post Insider Reveals Patriots’ Starting QB For Sunday appeared first on The Cold Wire.

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Playoff positioning will be on the line this Sunday when the Houston Texans meet the Denver Broncos at NRG Stadium.

While a loss wouldn’t be a death knell for either team, it would be a major impediment toward reaching the postseason, which is something neither organization has done in several years.

The Texans have been able to surpass expectations so far this season not just because of the excellent play of rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud, but also thanks to another rookie by the name of Tank Dell.

The stud wide receiver says that despite a calf injury, he will be good to go on Sunday, per Aaron Wilson.

#Texans wide receiver Tank Dell said he's good to go for Sunday's game against #Broncos @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/Jo8EyD4HFz

— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) December 1, 2023

Dell has collected 47 catches for 709 yards and seven touchdowns so far this season, and he has helped Houston rise to seventh in passing touchdowns and second in passing yards.

He has teamed with young and emerging wideout Nico Collins to give Stroud two reliable targets from the get-go.

The Texans have been a dangerous team, especially in crunch time, as Stroud has led multiple game-winning drives in the final moments of games in recent weeks.

The Broncos have also been clutch lately, and they currently hold a five-game winning streak after looking rather awful in September and early October.

The rest of Houston’s schedule is rather manageable other than a Christmas Eve game against the resilient Cleveland Browns, meaning that beating Denver this weekend could be almost tantamount to claiming a playoff spot in the AFC.

At the very least, it would be another statement to the rest of the NFL.

The post Texans WR Makes Clear Statement On His Status For Sunday appeared first on The Cold Wire.

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After 16 games played for the Miami Heat thus far, veteran big man Bam Adebayo is playing at a high level and could soon get some NBA MVP buzz around the league as a result of his solid play on the floor this season.

Adebayo has been a beast in the paint for the Heat, causing havoc on a nightly basis on both ends of the basketball floor while helping the team get to a winning record of 11-8.

However, it seems as though Adebayo is currently dealing with a hip issue that could result in him missing some time for Miami.

According to the team’s Twitter account, Adebayo’s hip issue will keep him out tomorrow night’s game against the Indiana Pacers, which is a major blow for Miami against a talented squad led by Tyrese Haliburton.

#INDvsMIA INJURY UPDATE: Bam Adebayo (hip) has been ruled out of tomorrow night’s game vs the Pacers.

— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) December 1, 2023

Adebayo is currently averaging 22.3 points, 9.9 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game while shooting an impressive 52.2% from the floor.

The Heat recently got the best of the Pacers on Thursday in a shootout, 142-132, but Adebayo played in only 12 minutes during that game, finishing with seven points, four rebounds, and two assists.

Clearly, the Heat were able to get by without Adebayo for the majority of the contest against the Pacers, but the team is obviously that much better when their star big man is healthy and on the floor for Miami.

With another win over the Pacers on Saturday, the Heat would improve to 12-8 on the season and inch closer to the first-place Orlando Magic in the Southeast division.

The post Heat Star Is Ruled Out For Pacers Game appeared first on The Cold Wire.

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