The New England Patriots are facing a crucial decision as they return to practice following their bye week. Determining who will be the starting quarterback moving forward will be at the top of their agenda, as they seek to bounce back from their recent loss against the Indianapolis Colts.

According to offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien, the decision of who will start will ultimately be made by head coach Bill Belichick. O'Brien emphasized that his role is to prepare all the quarterbacks, including Mac Jones, Bailey Zappe, and Will Grier, for potential game-time opportunities.

During their practice session last Wednesday before the bye week, Jones took first-team reps, with both Zappe and Grier rotating in as the backups. O'Brien stated that this week's practice will play a vital role in determining who will take the field as the starting quarterback when the Patriots face the New York Giants on the upcoming Sunday.

"One of the reasons I really enjoy coaching here is you have to earn it on the practice field," O'Brien remarked. "Right now, we haven't had consistent enough execution in the games. So, we'll see what happens down the road here. We have to have good practices, and then we can all determine, at every position, who should play the most."

The quarterback position has recently been in the spotlight due to Jones being benched during the Patriots' 10-6 loss to the Colts. Jones struggled to find consistent success throughout the season, with poor mechanics and a costly interception further adding to his challenges.

Despite Jones' struggles, O'Brien expressed his belief in the young quarterback, stating that everything is fixable and that Jones has demonstrated moments of excellence. O'Brien also highlighted that improvement is needed from all the players on the field, as well as from the coaching staff.

During the game against the Colts, O'Brien's passionate demeanor was evident as he was seen yelling at Jones on the TV broadcast. O'Brien attributed his coaching style to being demanding and intense, aiming to get his point across. He emphasized that he believes in coaching players to help them improve and strive for better performance.

The Patriots will now focus on rigorous practice sessions in the coming days to evaluate the performance of their quarterbacks. With the decision lying in the hands of Coach Belichick, all eyes will be on the practice field to determine who will lead the Patriots' offensive efforts in their upcoming game against the Giants.