Mac Jones' benching in the New England Patriots' 33-14 home defeat to the Chicago Bears was not performance-based, head coach Bill Belichick insists.

It was not the return from a high ankle sprain Jones would have anticipated, with the starting quarterback playing only the first three series and recording a sixth interception of the season.

A disgruntled home crowd started calling for Jones' backup Bailey Zappe, who entered the fray in the second quarter.

The Pats made a couple of quick touchdowns but fizzled out from there as Justin Fields led the Bears to 23 unanswered points and left both teams at 3-4 for the season.

Speaking to the media after the game, Belichick said the plan was always to use both quarterbacks and Jones did not re-enter the field as the game was getting away from the Patriots.

"That's [benching Jones after the interception] not what it was, but you can write whatever you want to write. That's not what it was," Belichick said.

"We had planned to play – I told the quarterbacks that we were going to play both of them, and that's what we did.

"We went through the week of practice. Mac was inactive last week. [Jones] would have gone back in. The score got out of hand. I didn't think that was the right thing to do."

Pushed on whether Jones had enough game time to have the confidence to face the New York Jets next week, a curt Belichick replied "I don't know" and said "I don't see that" when it was suggested he could switch up his quarterbacks week to week.

Belichick also confirmed the thinking to play both quarterbacks was related to Jones' ankle injury but that was not a factor at the time he was pulled from the field.

The stats did not make for kind reading, with Jones going 3-of-6 for 13 yards and the pick. Zappe was 14-of-22 for 185 yards, including a touchdown, two interceptions and a lost fumble.

For Jones' part, the chants for Zappe are not something playing on his mind and he is focused just on improving his own performance.

" I just have to do better at my job, and that's all it comes down to. That's all I can control," he said.

"Honestly, we've got a good chance here to go against the Jets, and that's what I'm focused on. I'm going to do my best to put my best foot forward. 

"I've been in this situation before, and just going to try to help the team. Whatever my role is, I'll be ready, and I'll give it 100 per cent."

Asked if he was surprised by the timing of Belichick's decision, he added: "I think coach Belichick had a really good plan for us. 

"Obviously, that's kind of internal stuff, but I understood the plan and what was going to happen. I wish we got off to a better start, and I played a little bit better, but I'll have a chance to practice and get back into my routine. 

"Something that I want to work on is getting back in my routine. I'm a very routine person, and I'm excited for this week. That's all you can do, right? 

"You can't really look back in the past. The game wasn't good by any of us, and that starts with me."