Patriots won't change offensive identity if they turn to QB Brian Hoyer

FOXBORO, Mass. – With Mac Jones dealing with a reported ‘pretty severe’ high ankle sprain, it seems very likely that Patriots backup quarterback Brian Hoyer will start on Sunday against the Green Bay Packers.

On Wednesday, Bill Belichick wouldn’t say which quarterback the team was planning on starting, but did confirm that Hoyer gets the nod if Jones can’t suit up. Hoyer, 36, certainly doesn't lack experience. The 14-year NFL veteran has made 39 career NFL starts and appeared in 75 total games.

This week, Patriots coaches said that the team’s offensive game plan wouldn’t change much if Hoyer starts on Sunday.

“Not too much. Brian has a lot of experience,” said Belichick. “He’s done everything that we would want to do. Mac would be able to do it with minimal practice if that’s what it was. Just take it day by day. We’re not really doing anything differently.”

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“Obviously, Brian’s done a lot of things in his career that maybe we implement, maybe we don’t. We don’t want to go ahead and completely turn the offense on its head,” added quarterbacks coach Joe Judge. “We feel like we were making some progress. But at the same time, we’re going to make sure we put guys in a position to succeed.

“There are things we could do different with Brian vs. Mac vs. Bailey (Zappe). Absolutely for all three of them. But does that mean we’re going to change our identity, what we’re trying to build towards? Not necessarily.”

Brian Hoyer hasn't won much recently

Hoyer threw passes in three games last season – against the New York Jets, Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars. He completed 9 of 11 passes (81.8%) for 227 yards to go with a touchdown. For a backup quarterback, Hoyer was solid.

When it comes to starting games, however, Hoyer hasn't won a lot recently. If he starts on Sunday, Hoyer will do so having lost his last 11 starts. He’s 16-23 in the 39 career games he's started. Over the last five NFL seasons, Hoyer is 0-8 as a starting quarterback.

Hoyer's last win as a starting quarterback was on Oct. 2, 2016, with the Chicago Bears. He threw for 302 passing yards to go with two touchdowns in that contest.

The last time Hoyer started for the Patriots, it came on short notice. On Oct. 5, 2020, Hoyer was called upon after Cam Newton tested positive for COVID-19. The positive test came after the Patriots had a week's worth of practice, so Hoyer started against the Kansas City Chiefs after taking no reps as a starter.

That was seen on the field as Hoyer completed 15 of 24 passes for 130 yards to go with an interception and fumble lost.

Hoyer made two big mistakes in this game. Prior to halftime, the Patriots were in field goal position and used their last timeout with 33 seconds left on the clock. Instead of attempting a field goal, however, Hoyer was sacked with 10 seconds left on the clock. That caused time to run out and the Pats lost a scoring opportunity.

The Pats were driving again in the third quarter, but Hoyer fumbled at the 10-yard line. He was then benched for Jarrett Stidham.

Patriots coaches have faith in Brian Hoyer

Mac Jones missed practice on Wednesday. That left the Patriots with Hoyer and Zappe at quarterback. If that’s how it stays this week, the coaching staff says they're confident in the backup. The main reason is how Hoyer handles his duties in the quarterback room.

For the last two years, Hoyer has been a mentor to Jones.

“Brian’s done a really good job for us,” said Judge. “Brian draws from a lot of experience. He’s been a starter in the league. He’s played this role before as a backup. He’s been ready to go.

“One thing Brian always does is whether it’s practice or in games, he’s always engaged. He’s always ready with a lot of good conversations on the sideline. He’s very engaged looking at the tablets, communicating the sideline things that he may see or things that may come up; that’s always really good. He’s always very, very involved and he’s always ready to take that next snap when he is called on.”

"Hoyer is great to be around,” added Patriots offensive play caller Matt Patricia. “His experience, his knowledge, the way he sees the game, and the mental preparation that he does as he's trying to get ready to be in his role through the course of the first three weeks of the season is really impressive.

“I love when you can get around a great veteran player like Hoyer and pick his brain. If you love football, those are great guys to talk to, whether it's coverage, how they see the front, their thoughts and ideas on routes, and even leadership."

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Brian Hoyer Patriots' starter? What to expect if Mac Jones is out