Cam Newton will be the Patriot’s starter and that’s okay.
At this point anyone holding out hope for Mac Jones to be the Week 1 starter is fooling themselves, looking at you Tom E. Curran.
Newton was in for just 2 series’ in last night’s 3rd pre season game. The results were very Cam Newton-ish. The whole pre-season has been a slight uptick in the performance we saw from Newton in 2020. But, the fact of the matter is Bill Belichick is rolling with Cam to start the season. I assume for a number of reasons. All of which have been speculated on, but let’s sum it all up here.
Reason #1. Mac isn’t ready
This isn’t to say Mac isn’t better. I am not in the minority when I say Mac had the better camp purely as a QB. That sentiment is coming from every where. For example Rodney Harrison
"I just think Mac Jones -- he did everything that coach Bill Belichick and Josh McDaniels wanted him to do," Harrison said on Peacock Sunday Night Football Final. "He's the perfect quarterback for this system. Why would you wanna go and put Cam Newton -- a guy that's still learning the offense, a guy that's been super inconsistent. This kid, he came out his very first (game action) and he's running the no huddle, hurry-up offense.
"I just think this is the right guy for the job. And it's a no-brainer to me. I don't understand how this could be hard for coach Belichick. I know he has a lot of loyalty to Cam, but at the end of the day, the thing he always preached to us, he said, 'I'm going to do what's best for the team.' In my opinion, what's best for the team is starting Mac Jones and not Cam Newton."
Being better than the 31st ranked QB of 2020 doesn’t make you ready in every sense of the word, though. Bill may think he needs more time with the offense, more time to adjust to NFL speed, more time to get his body physically adjusted, or simply less exposure to the abuse of a full NFL season. For any or all of those reasons you better not to spoil the kid.
Reason #2. Cam isn’t making it through a whole season
Cam Newton, although extremely durable through most of his career, is one play away from a 2-3 week absence at his age and with the wear and tear his body has taken over a 10 year career. And if the body doesn’t do him in then the NFL COVID protocols will.
State sanctioned Russian Gymnasts wouldn’t be disciplined enough to stay out of the rathe of the NFL on unvaccinated players. And Cam Newton certainly wouldn’t make the cut in Moscow. There will absolutely be another period of time missed due to COVID for Cam Newton. Whether it be a positive test, close contact, or more “misunderstandings” it’s inevitable. The latest bullshit with Cam didn’t seem to affect his standing with the team, but it’s hard to imagine when the regular season rolls around that leeway will still be there.
Reason #3. The team is good enough and the schedule is easy enough to start the season and win with Cam.
Dolphins, Jets, Saints, Bucs, Texans, Cowboys should give this team no less than a 3 - 3 record to start the season. The defense should be stout enough to keep teams around the 20 point mark. With a healthy O-Line and the bevy of running backs the offense should be able to control the ball and score enough. Those are winnable games even with a bottom of the league QB behind center. As long as there is not too much is asked of Cam in the passing game and he can hold onto the ball, the team should survive with a .500 record.
Reason #4. Cam Blows
Cam Newton isn’t good anymore. Sorry, not sorry. He’s inconsistent at best throwing and has lost more than a step of elusiveness and speed.
The more he plays and struggles the more he will be exposed. If Mac can maintain an upward trajectory at practice and on the sidelines there will be a crossroads where the writing is on the wall.
So, with the season just two weeks away the mystery is gone and secret is out. Cam will start the year with the weight of most of New England on his shoulders as we all wait for Mac’s opportunity. If Newton can continue to handle it all with the professionalism off the field that he did last year including when he get benched, this could be the best case scenario for Mac Jones to thrive in his rookie season as the future franchise QB for the New England Patriots.