Patriots down to 3rd-string QB Bailey Zappe as Brian Hoyer ruled out with head injury

The solution for the New England Patriots' offensive struggles probably wasn't trying out their third-string quarterback.

Mac Jones has an ankle injury so he was out for Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers. Brian Hoyer started in Jones' place, but during the first quarter of Sunday's game he headed back to the locker room to be checked out for a head injury.

Shortly after, he was ruled out.

Hoyer took a big hit on a sack, went to the medical tent and then was walking to the locker room shortly after. Rookie Bailey Zappe came in to replace him.

Zappe was a fourth-round pick out of Western Kentucky this year. He did pretty well in the preseason, and there was a notion that perhaps he should start instead of the 36-year-old Hoyer. The Patriots were forced into that decision when Hoyer left due to injury.

Zappe didn't do much, completing 10-of-15 passes for 99 yards, but he did throw his first career touchdown (albeit with some controversy) and helped the Patriots take the game to overtime. New England lost 27-24 in overtime, partially because they played very conservatively on offense with a rookie quarterback making his debut.

At 1-3, the Patriots have even more QB questions to answer this week.