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The New England Patriots could be without starting quarterback Mac Jones when they travel to Green Bay on Sunday to take on Aaron Rodgers and the Packers, but much of their game plan will remain relatively the same regardless of who steps in, quarterbacks coach Joe Judge said Tuesday.
Jones is believed to have suffered a severe high ankle sprain that could require surgery after absorbing a hard hit from Baltimore Ravens defensive lineman Calais Campbell, who fell on Jones' ankle in the process, during the fourth quarter of Sunday’s 37-26 loss, according to multiple reports.
New England Patriots quarterbacks Brian Hoyer, left, and Mac Jones before the Baltimore Ravens game on Sept. 25, 2022, at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
On Monday, both Jones and head coach Bill Belichick declined to talk about the specifics of his injury and a possible timetable for return. According to ESPN, the Patriots are still discussing their options.
PATRIOTS’ MAC JONES, BILL BELICHICK DECLINE TO TALK SPECIFICS ABOUT REPORTED ‘SEVERE’ ANKLE INJURY
In his absence, the Patriots will likely rely on veteran backup quarterback Brian Hoyer to take over – a decision that Judge seemingly feels confident with.
"Brian’s done a really good job for us," Judge told reporters on Tuesday. "One thing Brian always does – whether it's in 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 on the sideline things he may see or things that may come up."
Patriots quarterbacks coach Joe Judge and quarterback Brian Hoyer confer as head coach Bill Belichick makes notes during the Baltimore Ravens game on Sept. 25, 2022, at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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Judge continued: "He’s always very, very involved and he’s always ready to take that next snap when he’s called on."
Hoyer, 36, is in his third stint with the Patriots. He’s totaled 10,631 passing yards and 53 touchdowns across a 14-year career in the NFL.
Judge said while they will adjust their game plan to whoever steps in on Sunday, they don’t plan to "completely turn the offense on its head."
Quarterback Brian Hoyer of the New England Patriots looks to throw a pass against the Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on Aug. 26, 2022, in Las Vegas. (Chris Unger/Getty Images)
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"We’ll have a plan based on who's going to be quarterback and we’ll see how that develops through the week. 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 as we feel like we’re making some progress. But at the same time, we're going to make sure we put guys in a position to succeed," he explained.
"Are there things we could do differently with Brian versus Mac versus 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 toward? Not necessarily."