Patriots vs. Packers takeaways: Bailey Zappe's efforts fall short in overtime loss

Lambeau Field was the scene for three-and-a half hours of surprises Sunday afternoon.

The New England Patriots were heavy underdogs in their Week 4 matchup against the Green Bay Packers, but they managed to force overtime with their third string rookie quarterback playing the majority.

Green Bay was able to survive New England's upset bid. Mason Crosby scored a 31-yard field goal in overtime to give the Packers a win of 27-24.

The Patriots are now at 1-3 and in last place in AFC East, behind the 2-2 New York Jets. They will be looking to get out of the division basement next Sunday against the 1-3 Detroit Lions.

Here are four things you can learn from a Green Bay wild game:

Bailey Zappe is a spark!

The Patriots' slim chances of winning were shattered when Brian Hoyer left the game with a head injury less than ten minutes into the first quarter. Bailey Zappe had other plans.

New England's fourth round pick from Western Kentucky rose to it in his first NFL game. He completed 10 of 15 passes for 99 yard and one touchdown, finishing with a 107.4 passer score.

DeVante Parker was Zappe's first TD of the season, a 25-yard pass that he made to DeVante Parker.

Zappe's arm isn't the strongest, and it was obvious on Sunday. New England was defeated by the Patriots on third down. Zappe's inept attempt to hit Hunter Henry on third and 5 in overtime effectively sealed their fate.

At the very minimum, Zappe should be ahead of Hoyer to QB2 in the depth chart.

Running continues to impress

While Zappe deserves credit, the Patriots forced overtime due to their rushing attack.

The Patriots were led by Rhamondre and Damien Harris, who combined for 167 yards rushing on 33 attempts (5.1 yards per run). The Packers knew that runs were coming but New England ran. New England took the lead in the fourth quarter with a Harris rushing touchdown.

Sunday was the No. 1 rushing offense in the NFL, according to Football Outsiders' DVOA metric. The Patriots entered Sunday with the No. 1 rushing offense in NFL, according to Football Outsiders' DVOA metric. They relied heavily on the ground game at Green Bay to move and create play-action passes.

New England's rushing prowess could be the team's offensive identity by 2022. It remains to be seen if the Patriots can score enough points with a run-heavy offense in today's pass-happy NFL.

It will be interesting to see if the Patriots continue to focus on a ground-heavy offense, given their record of 1-3 in four games.

Are the Patriots facing a right tackle problem with their team?

Isaiah Wynn's 2022 season is getting worse.

According to Pro Football Focus, the 2018 first-round draft pick was the 34th-ranked NFL offensive tackle when he entered Sunday. He made many costly mistakes Sunday. Wynn was partly responsible for Hoyer's exit from the game after he allowed Rashan Gary to blow by him and give Hoyer a sack.

Wynn was eventually defeated by Gary to force a Zappe turnover. After that, Marcus Cannon took Wynn's place at right tackle. Wynn was eventually able to return to the game, so the 34-year-old veteran was not a major upgrade.

The Patriots' offensive line performed well as a run-blocking unit on Sunday. New England averaged 5.1 yards per rush. Wynn has been a problem as a pass-blocker. Wynn must step up if the Patriots want to improve their quarterback play. New England can also look to move Wynn at the NFL trade deadline. 

Jack Jones makes his NFL debut

Jack Jones, a rookie cornerback, was thrust into a prominent position Sunday with Jalen Miles out because of injury. He made the most.

The fourth-round selection from Arizona State was able to steal the ball twice from the Packers in the first half. He first stripped wide receiver Romeo Doubs, recovering the fumble in that quarter. After that, he jumped Allen Lazard's route to grab an Aaron Rodgers interception to his house for a pick-6 just before halftime.

Jones missed two tackles and was punished for his aggressiveness at times. But he clearly has a lot of talent. He could have a bright future in New England if he can learn from his mistakes and make impact plays.