Bailey Zappe got plenty of first string reps during the portion of Patriots practice open to the media on Wednesday. (AP file photo)

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The question remains again this week, but there may be more of an answer.

Who will the New England Patriots starting quarterback be when the host the Los Angeles Chargers at Gillette Stadium on Sunday?

Quite possibly Bailey Zappe.

Zappe, according to reports, got plenty of first-team snaps during the first part of the portion of practice open to the media on Wednesday. Malike Cunningham reportedly got backup reps, for whatever that’s worth. But that certainly seems to indicate that Mac Jones, who started last Sunday’s game vs. the Giants but was replaced by Zappe at halftime, didn’t get much if any first team work. That’s not a good sign if he was hoping to start.

The only rep for Patriots coach Bill Belichick was the same answer yesterday that he gave all last week.

“Yeah, I’m not going to make any announcements on our lineup at any position,” he said during his Wednesday press conference that was held before practice. “So, it doesn’t matter what the position is. We’ll see how practice goes, see if everybody is ready to go. Hopefully everybody is ready to go, see what the injury situation is, and we’ll go with who we think is best on Sunday.”

Belichick was asked if things would go the same way as last week.

“Yeah, I didn’t say that,” he replied. “I said I’m not going to announce anything. … Again, everybody’s got their own job to do. Hopefully, that’s what they’re focused on, not what everybody else is doing.

“That’s what we all need to do, is focus on what our job is and do the best we can at it. Don’t worry about what everybody else is doing. That would help all of us.”

When asked on how Mac Jones has performed, Belichick said “Well, we haven’t won enough games. So, I don’t think anybody has performed well enough. We all need to do a better job.”

On Zappe, Belichick said “Look, every player, whatever opportunities they have, need to do the best with them that they can -practice, games, even in meetings and other preparation opportunities,” he said. “So, that’s what a player can do – be prepared, do the best he can, and that’s what each guy will have an opportunity to do somewhere along the line over the course of a long season. A lot of times it’s multiple times in a day.

“Sometimes, for some players, the opportunities are a little bit different. But, when those opportunities come, that’s what players need to do. That’s what they’ve been told, and they know and understand that, and I think they’re doing the best they can. We’ll see how it goes.”

The Cunningham backup aspect is interesting. Before practice, Belichick was asked about the undrafted rookie from Louisville and his work at both wide receiver the quarterback.

“He’s been playing wide receiver all year,” Belichick said. “He’s also played some at quarterback.”

And the latter varies on the situation as he’s mainly been a QB, it seems, if needed on the scout team when the Patriots face a similarly-skilled QB.

“Well, there are other players practicing at quarterback, as well,” Belichick said. “He’s not the only guy out there. It depends a little bit on the offense that we’re seeing. So, if we are seeing offenses run plays that he’s very good at running, teams like Philadelphia, the first Miami game, then you know, he gets, I mean they’re practice squad reps but they’re also reps on things that he does.

“So, he’s kind of a unique player. Things aren’t so straight-lined with him. He’s different than probably every other player that we have on the team. So, he’s handled a little differently.”

It seems everything has this season.

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