Cam Newton had a huge week 1 performance but it is questionable if the Patriots will choose to utilize their QB in the same way.
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Newton signed a one year, $1.o5 million contract this offseason with the Patriots, who hope he can fill Tom Brady’s shoes.
Although it’s far too early to say if he’s capable, Newton showed glimpses of his MVP season against the dolphins in week 1. However, his performance raised a massive question: is it viable to allow Cam to run the ball so often?
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Cam Newton Had 15 Rush Attempts in Week 1 Win
NFL insider Ian Rapoport brought up the issue earlier on NFL Gameday. According to Rapsheet, it unlikely that the Patriots continue to run their offense the same way.
From @NFLGameDay: The #Patriots may not run Cam Newton every week like they showed last week… but they did force opponents to prepare for it every week. pic.twitter.com/J3FADl1Qwx
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 20, 2020
On 15 attempts, Newton rushed for 75 yards and 2 touchdowns. Only 17 yards came after contact, meaning that the Patriots kept turning to the QB run because Miami didn’t have an answer for it.
However, this won’t be the case for their next 15 games. Like Rapoport correctly mentions, the heavy running in week 1 could be a way to force opponents to prepare for the run game while New England intends to use Newton more as a pocket passer.
Belichick will definitely be careful with Cam going forward. He is now 31 and the Pats aren’t exactly spoiled for choice at the Quarterback position.
Moreover, Newton has recently struggled with injuries. He had a sharp decline after his 2016 MVP season due to some recurring issues with his shoulder. The injuries are a major reason why the Patriots were able to snag him for just $1 million.
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Can the Patriots Edge Past Seattle?
We’ll see just how much Belichick chooses to adjust the gameplay tonight. The Patriots will travel to Seattle for a rematch of Super Bowl 49.
They’ll be going up against a much better defense than the one they played last week. Both teams are 1-0, so we’ll find out who remains undefeated on Sunday Night prime-time football.
