Bill Belichick is going to die on the Cam Newton train, whether it crashes or not. Cam has come crashing down to earth after a hot start and was benched during the latter stages of the blowout loss to the 49ers. For better or worse, it doesn’t sound like Cam’s job is in jeopardy.
Belichick made it clear that he considers Cam his best option at quarterback and is very unlikely to make a change:
“I think he’s our best player there, so again there are other problems offensively,” Belichick said. “There are things we need to do better and that is what we’re going to work on. I think we have our best players out there. We just have to find a way to be more productive. We have been at times, but we certainly weren’t yesterday, and we need to see if we can improve that.”
Cam has a lot to play for this weekend. Not only is the division title up for grabs, but he’s also playing for a paycheck. The Patriots aren’t paying Cam anything this year. Cam needs to prove he’s a top tier franchise quarterback to get another contract.
It’s been a mixed bag for Cam in 2020. On the one hand, five rushing touchdowns are a major positive. Cam looks healthy again. On the flip side, a 2-7 TD to INT ratio isn’t ideal. While he’s completing over 67% of his throws, the Patriots passing attack hasn’t put up many points ranking in the bottom tier in total offense.
Belichick is right about one thing. It might not necessarily be Cam’s fault. This offensive personnel is unacceptable. Tom Brady left for a reason. Julian Edelman is aging, N’Keal Harry is a bust, and something called Damiere Byrd starts. Not to mention, it’s a revolving door at tight end too.
