I understand Newton's 2018 was nearly Identical to Brady's 2019. I am not saying Newton cannot be good, I am saying he can also be bad and that he is inconsistent. In eight seasons, Netwon has 3 winning seasons. Football is a team sport but the quarterback is the only one where wins losses matter.
Hoyer has never started for a good team. Anyone who brings up the over achieving 2019 Colts is kidding themselves. From 2013 to 2015, Hoyer looked like a top 16 quarterback. Like Cam, Hoyer has a chance to prove himself in New England.
Back to Cam, Newton in his five starting seasons completing under sixty percent, he has a combined completion percentage of 57.6%. His fumbles and interceptions dont help him any. Averaging twenty combined a season, regardless of recovery.
Stidham beat out Hoyer in the 2019 preseason, at whatever level Stidham played at but he is still an unknown. Was Stidham playing at his best, or was that just him being average, we don't know. This is why many are only giving the former MVP an 80% chance to start for the Patriots, among other reasons.
Justin Trombino of Musket Fire wrote an article titled "Cam Newton is entering his first position battle of his NFL career", in which he talks about the current situation at quarterback for the Patriots.
Trombino wrote, "Ever since Newton entered the league as the first overall selection in the 2011 NFL Draft, he never once had any real competition for the starting job during his nine years with the Carolina Panthers."
Both Hoyer and Stidham know the Patriots system. Hoyer has starting experience and Stidham not only beat Hoyer out of the backup role in 2019, he also got valuable practice time with the first string. Like it or not, both could possibly start for the team.
Trombino also wrote, "After all, Stidham spent a majority of the offseason as the presumed QB1 for the Patriots — he’s not going to walk away without a fight. In fact, dating back to his college years at Baylor and Auburn, Stidham has always come out victorious in position battles."
Players in New England with chips on their shoulder tend to play better. Stidham was first disrespect with the four win season predictions and the tank for Trevor movement. People saying he's not good enough, calling him a bum with zero personality. Then came the Newton signing, and lastly the Madden rating of 61. The chip on Stidham's shoulder is going to be huge.
Newton is the better athlete than Stidham, In fact Cam is a running back or H-Back tight end that can throw but Stidham already has familiarity with most of the Patriots pass catchers. Trombino noted that Stidham grew up with the Patriots 2019 third round draft pick Harris as well.
The Patriots didn't sign Newton to tank right? Both Stidham and Hoyer know the Patriots playbook better than Newton. The Patriots aren't going to develop a whole knew playbook for Newton. That would require them to teach twenty plus players a new book. It takes nom quarterbacks up to two years to learn a playbook. That's too long if they're not tanking.
While some quarterbacks can learn a playbook in a matter of days, It normally takes a quarterback three years at most to learn a playbook. The Patriots will pull plays out from deep in their "Air West Spread" system playbook but it will still be two thirds the playbook we saw Tom Brady Run. That gives the the other two a head start.
Back in February of 2016, Johnathon Jones sent out this tweet, "Cam: I'm on record as being a sore loser. I hate losing. You show me a good loser and I'll show you a loser." This was after Newton lost to the Broncos.
Trombino wrote, "Knowing all of this, it’s extremely difficult to predict if Newton is going to be able to pick up the offense well enough to have a significant edge over these guys. It’s also unknown how Newton will react and handle the situation if he’s asked to be the backup to at least start the season."
Here's the thing. Even though Newton is the front runner, Belichick doesn't just hand anyone anything, including the starting job it's earned. The case as been logically made on why Stidham could start the first three to five weeks. Newton fans have argued that one doesn't sign Newton not to start him. With Newton's contract, it's a safe bet that he could potentially be cut if he does not earn the starting job.
Trombino pointed out that a loser mentality will not be tolerated in New England who has the "Do Your Job" motto. He also pointed out that regardless of who wins the starting job week one, the quarterback competition is expected to last all year.
One last statement from Trombino, "He’s sounded off on many things in Carolina, so what makes us think that won’t happen in New England? While with the Panthers, he exploded about the slow play calling and the coaching staff at times, and let’s not forget the way he disrespected a female reporter when he questioned her understanding of route running during a press conference in which he tried to make into a joke (which lost him some sponsors)."
Newton recently did an interview where he Express his disrespect for being "unemployed for three months". Sure he was signed by the Patriots but one must believe he felt just as much animosity for the Pats as he did the other 31 teams. Plus, with his ego; regardless of what he says publicly, Newton has to feel some disrespect over his contract.
As long as everyone does their job, and the Patriots play their best football, Cam can win fans but he has a lot of doubters. Doubters he brought on himself, that he will have to win over. After watching Newton's videos, he needs to be careful that he doesn't rub people the wrong way, like Joe Borrow did. His video clips are showing motivation but they're also coming across borderline arrogant. That can turn the fanbase against him, even if the team is winning.
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