How do the Patriots keep Cam Newton and not allow him anywhere near the field of play?
Call it a lack of receivers, a year of getting used to a new offensive system, or a general dysfunction on the part of a coaching staff that didn’t understand how to utilize him properly, but it would be difficult to be a worse quarterback than Newton managed for the Patriots in 2020. This, despite chants of “CAMVP” after the first week of the season, when New England throttled the Miami Dolphins and it seemed as if it might be business as usual in the AFC East.
Then, COVID hit, and Newton’s performance got progressively worse every week he stepped on the gridiron.
But any cantankerous suggestions that Newton would be a problem in the locker room never materialized in his year here. His flashy bravado never seemed to clash with Bill Belichick’s buttoned-down approach. His teammates raved about how he fit in and served as an effective team leader. He gave everybody goofy nicknames, and even made N’Keal Harry emerge from his pumpkin for a few weeks straight.
Cam Newton has proven to be a perfect fit in New England.
Just not at the position he plays.
Newton doesn’t sound ready to stick around and accept a backup role in order to groom whomever the Patriots might pick up in next spring’s NFL Draft, though it’s a position that would probably suit both him and the team well in setting up for the future. Newton’s leadership skills have been lauded enough this year that it seems an aspect the franchise would want to bring back next season. Just not his arm or legs, thank you.
Maybe this offseason will be similar to the last, where Newton can’t find anybody to give him a run. Frankly, after this year, what team is that going to be anyway? Perhaps, in a moment of humility, he accepts the Patriots’ backup offer and is free to focus on the second half of his professional career.
Newton’s teammates and coaches clearly love him. It would be nice to see him stick around past the final weekend of this season.
Just don’t let him play.
This week’s predictions:
Benjamin Hoffman, New York Times: Patriots (-3). “Frank Gore will miss this game after sustaining a lung contusion last week, but he reached 16,000 yards rushing for his career before being removed, which is about the best thing anyone can say about this season for the Jets (2-13). Similarly, the Patriots (6-9) are an irrelevant team that will most likely undergo huge off-season renovations, with the only notable part of their year being Cam Newton’s tying the franchise record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in a season (12), which Steve Grogan set in 1976. Despite Newton’s horrific passing in recent games, he is likely to start this game, giving him an outside chance of matching his own N.F.L. record of 14 rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in a single season.”
Joe Giglio, NJ.com: Patriots (-5.5). “Bill Belichick isn’t ending this season with a loss to the Jets at home.”
Greg Cote, Miami Herald: Patriots 19, Jets 13. “Not sure which should please a Dolphins fans more: NYJ winning two straight to blow its future by giving up the No. 1 draft pick and Trevor Lawrence. Or the idea of Bill Belichick slumped on his couch in a gray hoodie watching the playoffs on TV. Pats have beaten Planes nine straight. Old habits die hard.”
Michael Hurley, CBS Boston: Jets (+3). “I actually climbed back over .500 on the season last week after the 1 p.m. games, but I face-planted in the afternoon and prime-time games to drop to 117-120-3 on the year. Good gravy. Now we’ve got Patrick Mahomes sitting out, 9 million different playoff scenarios, COVID in Cleveland and Miami, Kyler Murray on a bum leg, a ridiculous end to an embarrassing NFC East season, and all of the other uncertainty of a Week 17 slate of games. I’m sure I’ll do great. Fortunately, due to my oath of silence, I don’t have to say anything about any of the games. So if I end up being more right than wrong, I’m a genius. If the opposite happens … SEE YOU IN THE PLAYOFFS, BABY!”
Pete Prisco, CBS Sports: Jets 23, Patriots 21. “This game means nothing in the playoff chase. The Patriots have been awful the past two weeks, while the Jets have won two in a row. The Jets will play hard and tough here to keep the streak alive. New England has the worse offense right now. Jets take it.”
Frank Schwab, Yahoo! Sports: Jets (+3). “I don’t know what’s crazier, the Jets being down to a 3-point underdog or me picking them. Obviously there’s nothing on the line in this game, not even the first pick of the draft, but the Patriots look like they want the season to be done.”
ESPN staff: Five out of nine pick the Pats.
Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News: Patriots 17, Jets 14. “Adam Gase is doing his late-season sudden-winning thing again for the Jets with the massive victories over the Rams and Browns. Bill Belichick’s Patriots have looked terrible since obliterating the Chargers. Those developments meet somewhere in the middle here. Belichick can’t possibly lose to a lame-duck Gase, can he? Gase can’t also outwit Belichick after getting the better of Sean McVay and coach of the year candidate Kevin Stefanski, can he? Let’s get logical here.”
Bill Bender, Sporting News: Patriots 23, Jets 13. “The opening line has dropped 5.5 points; a nod to the improvement from the Jets the last two weeks. The Patriots offense has slumped down the stretch, and Bill Belichick has an interesting offseason coming. New England closes with a victory.”
FiveThirtyEight: Patriots, 72 percent (-6.5).
Gregg Rosenthal, NFL.com: Patriots 20, Jets 17. “The Jets are 2-13 and basically a coin flip to win in Week 17 against the Patriots. Normally, that would mean New England is resting starters. Now it’s a sign the Pats are one of the worst teams in football. As the final Christmas present to my son, Walker, I let him pick this score.”
NFL PickWatch: Sixty-five percent, Patriots.
It says here: Jets 27, Patriots 10. Anybody who thinks New England actually has a chance hasn’t paid attention the last three weeks.
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