AFC Notes: Dolphins, Jets, Patriots, Mac Jones, Bailey Zappe

Dolphins

• Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel does not expect to see CB Byron Jones back at practice this week: “I don’t think we’re going to see him practice this week…It’s hard to know fully when that’s going to happen.” (Adam Beasley)

Jets

The Jets are all of a sudden 4-2 and dripping with confidence after a 27-10 win on the road against the Packers keyed by an outstanding performance by their defense, even if Green Bay doesn’t look as fearsome as the past few seasons. 

“You can feel the confidence,” Jets LB C.J. Mosley said via Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. “All game, especially, and obviously on defense, I know the only thing we would talk about is executing our drive. When we get back on the field, let’s make sure we execute — don’t give up anything easy; make them earn every single yard. And I feel like that’s what we did the majority of the day. We didn’t worry about the score; we didn’t worry about who was in or who was going to do what. Once we saw a formation, we knew what they wanted to do and we executed.”

Patriots

Patriots HC Bill Belichick spoke to reporters about the quarterback situation via video conference on Monday and still wasn’t tipping his hand one way or another regarding who would start between Mac Jones or fourth-round rookie Bailey Zappe.

“Well, we’ll see how that process is,” Belichick said, via NBCSportsBoston.com. “Mac still wasn’t able to play yesterday, so we’ll continue to evaluate him and see how he’s doing physically.”

• In an interview on The Dan Patrick Show, via Dov Kleiman, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer explains some of the friction between the Patriots and Jones right now. He says Jones is a big “why guy” who wants to know the reason for everything, and New England has “never been a big why place.” 
• Breer adds Jones had questions about why the Patriots hired a defensive coach as offensive coordinator (Matt Patricia) and a special teams coach (Joe Judge) as QB coach and tried to implement an outside zone scheme instead of building off the success he had as a rookie in former OC Josh McDaniels‘ system. 
• There was also disagreement about the handling of Jones’ ankle sprain, as the Patriots wanted Jones to get the tightrope surgery and the quarterback resisted, though it ended up working out as Jones’ injury wasn’t as bad as initially thought. 
• Breer says he believes Jones is getting his starting job back but the lesson Belichick is trying to get across is: “Look, we’re putting a fourth-round rookie from Western Kentucky out there, look what happens when he does what we tell him to.”
• A high-ranking AFC personnel executive believes Zappe will become the latest Patriots backup quarterback to be flipped for a profit down the road: “I think they trick someone into a draft pick for him. I think he’s smart, consistent and runs the offense well. He’s not a real guy, in my opinion.” (Doug Kyed)
• Patriots WR Kendrick Bourne is dealing with a potential turf toe issue. (Phil Perry)