An unpopular possible scenario nobody in Patriots media is willing to take on.

I wrote off Cam Newton midway through the season and the Patriots 2019 fourth round draft pick after the second Bills' game of the 2020 season, when he entered the game and continued to look equally as horrible of a passer as the quarterback who had started fifteen games at quarterback for the Patriots in 2020. 

There is something that has been on my mind this season and even though I wrote of Stidham, after listening to the defense of Cam Newton almost daily since the season ended; this question has to be asked. It's in the image below.

Because it's still in the realm of possibility, regardless of how unlikely. There are logical reasons why Bill wouldn't hand the reigns over. From wanting more time to develop, to protecting Stidham's confidence, to not wanting to lose his locker room, or, to justify the Newton signing, and to a plethora of other possible reasons. It is quite possible to justify why Bill never replaced Newton.

Keep in mind, Stidham didn't have a real offseason program, didn't have a preseason, and got injured and lost the competition by default in August due to that injury. Ran the scout team playbook instead of the Patriots' playbook in practice, and had weapons that supposedly "No quarterback could've worked with" and that would've caused all quarterbacks to "be as bad" as Newton, which all of Stidham's performances were comparable to.

Personally, I think it's a slim possibility. Belichick saw Stidham in practice. Praised how far ahead he was after the 2019 season and said "He improved from last year", back in November. On Top of that, McDaniels was "confident he knew" what he had in Stidham but left it up to Belichick because it was Bill's team.

So what do you think, could Stidham be in another competition for the job before week one and how would Patriots nation take it? Would they accept it or would they riot and call for an immediate firing of the hoodie?

Pass Catchers Will Have A Down Year, If The Patriots Don't Improve Thier Quarterback And Offensive Positional Coachs.

The Patriots tight ends were not the most productive group during the 2020 NFL season. However, that was not entirely on the group. The group had their flaws but the Patriots quarterbacks had issues getting the ball to them and when it was, it was normally anything but accurate. 

Take Ryan Izzo, according to Player profiler  he ranked 58th in receptions (13) and 49th in yards (199).  They listed his targets as 70% catchable and gave him a 92.9% true catch rate. Izzo was also listed with a target separation rate of 1.7.  

Izzo was targeted 20 times and caught 13 of those passes.

There's a saying that bad weapons can hurt a good quarterback. Well the same is true for good weapons with a bad quarterback. Cam Newton if looked at majority of the rankings finished between 28th and 32nd, depending on the list. It's been said that the Patriots' weapons were ranked 27th by pff.

This is not to say that the Patriots shouldn't upgrade their weapons but to say if the Patriots do not make an upgrade at quarterback, even elite pass catchers are gonna have a bad year in 2021.

PFF had Izzo tied for 56th in targets, tied for  58th in receptions, and 49th in yards. With a ranking of 51.9. And ESPN Fantasy ranked Izzo as the 64th best tight end in 2020.

Going back to the Denver game, analysts had started saying if people went and looked at the coaches tape, they would see each of the pass catchers getting open a handful of times a game, and the quarterbacks just couldn't get them the ball. 

Analysts would repeat that the rest of the year. Analysts would repeat that the rest of the year. 

(The coaches tape shows the full field instead of just what the television wants you to see.)

A handful of times, to myself means 3 to five times a game. Maybe others view the numbers associated with a handful differently, I don't know. 

That would mean the pass catchers this season we're open 48 to 80 times each. Izzo only played in 12 games so that would be at minimum 36 times he got open and only had 20 targets, that's bad. We saw several times, he was thrown the ball while in coverage.

That means there were several times he was open and who ever was under center, which majority of the time it was Cam; didn't see or ignored him. 

There has been a lot of complaints from the NFL media and from the fan base about Newton's accuracy and decision making. About the same amount as the complaints that the pass catchers cannot separate. 

The problem with the pass catchers is the same problem with the quarterbacks who were on the roster in 2020. They had no consistency. Once analysts started saying that tape was showing open receivers, and not the tape the networks airs. The blame came partially off of the pass catchers.

There was talk that the Patriots offense didn't need new pieces, that the answers were in the locker room. They were right; they needed consistency from the guys signed to play offense. The coaches failed to get it from the offense.

Speaking of coaches, McDaniels didn't do the best play calling but I'm glad that he didn't change the passing aspect of the game to fit Newton's style. Teams would've been running a cover 4, waiting for Newton to throw the deep ball, knowing he struggles on the short and intermediate passes. Without the patriots having the receivers to run those routes, turnovers would've been high.

Schemes can be made for the cover 4 to stop the run, so The option runs and running game would've been able to be stopped. Thus the Patriots must do a better job of coaching production out of their players on offenses. 

It was only a short time ago that Chad O'shea was the receiving coach and Brian Daboll was the tight end coach. However, Jedd Fisch didnt look like he got much out of the Patriots quarterbacks. Maybe along with retooling the roster, the offensive coaching staff should also get an overhaul. 

Stop making excuses for Cam Newton, he had more than a fair shake.

For all the reasons to re-sign Cam Newton, all the pros don't outweight the fact that Cam Newton doesn't get the ball to pass catchers. From poor decision making to vision, to the fact he cannot throw to them. Newton threw to his pass catchers' bubbles and also was throwing grounders to open pass catchers or sailing it over their heads.

Cam played with basement weapons but he didn't look like a top 32 quarterback, not did he look like a top 24 quarterback. Newton had someplace between the 27th and 29th pass catching unit. Depending on which ranking you went with majority of the rankings had Newton 27 to 32 starter in the league. In rare cases, some writers put Cam in the top 13 for click bait.

I did an article looking at Newton's accuracy and talking about how analysts said the tapes showed individual pass catchers were getting open a handful of times a game and he wouldn't see or would ignore them and that although he had a higher than normal completion percentage, that his completions were still inaccurate and that hurt pass catchers' development.

In that article I also looked at the catch and true catch rates of his receivers and tight ends. Good quarterbacks can elevate bad pass catchers and good pass catchers can elevate bad quarterbacks. Although the Patriots pass catchers struggled to get separation, it really looked like they elevated Cam.

Now don't get me wrong, bad players can also hurt good players. Newton failing to see or get the ball to open pass catchers hurt them and the team even more than the lack of separation hurt Newton.

Newton started 15 games and was one of the worst quarterbacks if not the worst starter for all 32 teams, in fact he might not even of been the 32nd best quarterback but people are saying that's not a fair chance. So if a season as starter is not a fair chance, what is? Three seasons, five seasons, a decade? 15 games is more than a fair chance when you're the starter. 

Newton sucked as a passer and people cannot admit it. They blame everyone but him. At least 50% of the Patriots passing game struggles was from Newton's flaws. 

He can run the ball but he cannot throw the ball anymore, at least not consistently. When running the ball, Newton looked slow and his option runs were too slow from his making his decision.

People are quick to point out week one where he beat up on a Dolphins, a team that couldn't stop the option play, and week two against a Seahawks team, that couldn't rush the quarterback or cover receivers. Week three Cam started to digress. In fact Newton's week three first half versus the Raiders, looked no different than Stidham's week four fourth quarter against the Chiefs.

In fact from everything we saw, They will get the same production in the passing game from Stidham, as the two were comparable all season. Difference being Newton will now be an eleven year veteran and Stidham a third year player. 

Plus Stidham's rookie contract will be much cheaper than Cam Newton's veteran minimum. So the question begs to be asked, is Newton's running ability worth his contract and inability to pass? 

Newton was a high risk, high reward  player on a lowball deal in 2020. That risk will be even greater in 2021, as he will of aged several months. Months may not seem like a lot but we have seen players in all sports drop off in the short span between seasons. 

Father time always wins. Newton is supposed to be a quarterback but he's always been an inconsistent passer at best, who relies on his legs. Thus instead of grading him on a quarterback scale where 35-36 is old, we must grade him on a running back scale. Old for running backs is 30. Newton's currently 31. Thus he should be done by 35, not 40. That's a huge difference.

Don't get me wrong, I am not saying Stidham is the answer for 2021 but he could be a one season bridge quarterback or worthy of a back spot. 

Plus there have been arguements that Newton didn't have a full offseason, preseason, or weapons, and that any quarterback would've been bad in that situation. Well although Stidham was under contract, he didn't have any of that either and didn't benefit from first team reps in 2020 like Newton did. His scout team reps running opponents playbooks made him just as unprepared to run the Patriots offense as Newton's limited knowledge of it. 

I am okay with the Patriots bringing in another quarterback to start. I am okay with them drafting a quarterback. Unless the Patriots cannot get a good option in either the draft or free agency, I cannot see how Newton's running ability makes up for his inability to pass or his contract.  I trust Belichick and the name on the front will always mean more than the name on the back. For Cam Newton fans, I wonder how many that is true for as it seems they're putting Newton above the best interests of the team.

Fitzmagic In New England?

38 year old Journeyman quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick had a decent season for the Miami Dolphins. The former Harvard graduate completed 68.5 percent of his passes in 2020 for 2091 yards with 13 touchdowns and 8 interceptions in nine games. 

Cam Newton fans and the Navy fans will be happy to know he also rushed for 151 yards and 2 touchdowns on 30 carries. It's not anywhere near 1000 yards but it's still a decent average per attempt.

If the Patriots were to bring in Fitzmagic, they would get exactly what they thought they were getting from Brian Hoyer. A game manager with the capability to dink and dunk. Fitzpatrick has a superior arm in comparison to Hoyer but he's also shown he can be at greater risk of turning the ball over. However for Cam Newton fans, that won't be an issue.

Another thing with Fitzpatrick is the fact that he can be inconsistent. Again for Cam Newton fans, that won't be a problem. Fitzpatrick has played 16 seasons in the NFL, at times he looks like a legit starter and other times, he looks like a backup being put in situations above his head. 

As a starter, Fitzpatrick is 59-86-1. The savvy veteran as orchestrated 13 fourth quarter comebacks and 18 game winning drives over his career. With how the Patriots are currently constructed, they may need that kind of grit.

PFF wrote the following about Fitzpatrick. “After one of the most volatile careers in recent history, Fitzpatrick has played the best football of his career since 2018 as he’s posted three of his four best PFF grades. His aggressiveness allows playmakers to create chunk plays down the field, but it also allows the defense to make just as many plays on the ball. Still, that style works well with the right supporting cast, and Fitzpatrick has actually done a fine job of maximizing his group of playmakers and subpar offensive line in Miami.”

The Dolphins would be wise to bring back Fitzpatrick but he might want to sign with a team who would give him a chance to start. At 38, Ryan Fitzpatrick isn't going to get a lot of opportunities. As a passer, he's an upgrade over Cam Newton. He might not be able to run like Newton but he can see the field better and he is more accurate. Two major issues for the Patriots passing game in 2020.

The Patriots could bring him in on a year by year deal, while developing a younger quarterback. The Patriots still have Jarrett Stidham under a rookie contract and if we're being honest, Stidham's passing ability is at the same level of Newton's. So no need to pay Newton that much extra to ride the bench, and another year of competition would be good for the 2019 fourth round draft pick. 

The fan base has written off Stidham but as my friends over at DPN Commentary like to say, The Patriots know what they have in Stidham. With Fitzpatrick as the starter, having Stidham as the number two for one more year, even if it's while a third quarterback is developing, wouldn't hurt as he could at least run the scout team offense.

Fitzpatrick will probably be asking for $9 - $12 million but for the chance to start, the Patriots should be able to afford him. The Patriots defense isn't that bad and all they have to do is convince him to ride behind a strong running game. This could be a quick marriage with a lot possibilities. If Ryan Fitzpatrick plays well enough, he could make it a two or three year stint.

The Patriots May Have Been Blindsided By Brady Leaving

Jerry Trotta wrote a piece saying the Patriots kept Thuney for Brady. If the Patriots really did tag Joe Thuney to keep Brady happy, it shows just how much Brady screwed them by leaving.

Trotta quoted Mike Giardi of tweeting, "Thuney was surprisingly franchised tagged last winter - at least that's how the league felt - but there are those within the Pats that believed it was a show of faith for Tom Brady and his possible return. Brady instead chose Tampa and the Pats had a 15 million $$ Guard."

There were a slew of things that pointed to Brady leaving, from the way his contract got reworked in the preseason, to him putting his house up, to him stepping down from a Boston charity. So either the team was naive or Brady did a really good job of playing everything down.

Don't get me wrong, Thuney is a great player but let's be honest, the team had serious needs and could've tried to find a stand in, while signing one or two other players that fit urgent needs.

Here's a scenario that could've been a real possibility. The Patriots could've brought in a guard for 6 million and brought in Andy Dalton, who was a better fit for the team for around 8 million. Dalton took a backup role but would've taken a starting job for around that amount on a one year deal. That would've been all for what they paid Thuney.

Instead the team signed Cam Newton for next to nothing and with looking at how they ran their offense, even with how they modified the run game; they still wanted a pocket passer. Their offense clashed with Newton's abilities as a quarterback. Although to be honest, with how bad of a passer Newton is, any offense clashes with Newton's abilities to play the position except the college team Navy.

Trotta finished with the following statement and it's so true that I'm gonna let his closing words finish my article but it appears Brady did a bigger job of sticking it to the Patriots than fans realized.

"We’re not sure who was behind that thought process, but if this report is true, it certainly isn’t the best look. Nonetheless, it’s just so fitting that Brady’s free agency reportedly played a role in one of the Patriots’ most confounding roster moves in recent memory," said Jerry Trotta.

Trotta's article:
https://musketfire.com/2021/01/12/patriots-stuck-joe-thuney-tom-brady/

The Quarterbacks were the problem with the Patriots tight end core.

I can't speak for all three but of those 7 passes thrown to izzo, many of them were high or wide with no chance for him to catch them with him being open.

All three had small periods where they were open and the ball would not even go their direction. That hurt all three of their production and development.

Ryan Izzo 70% catchable passes 92.9 true catch rate.
Devin Asiasi 86.7% - 33.3%,  Keene 80% -75%
All the pass catchers would get open only a handful of times a game and the tape showed majority of those times the pass catchers weren't getting the ball. Thus, these stats should be better.

I believe all three tight ends would be better with a more accurate quarterback who has better decision making skills.

When it comes to the quarterback play, I will say this. Every one of Stidham's performances were comparable to what we were seeing from Newton. So if the Patriots cannot find a veteran or draft a quarterback, they might as well just go with Stidham instead of bringing back Newton.

Give Stidham a full offseason as a starter with full starter reps, plus better weapons and you'll see just as much improvement as you would from Cam getting it, only Newton will cost more. Save the money and roll it into 2022.

One thing we know from watching Cam is he's not the guy. Yeah, he went 7-9 but his inconsistent play costed the team games. He's flaws hurt having him on the team as a bridge quarterback, regardless of how much his legs are an asset.

Now, don't get me wrong. Stidham showed to me as a passer that he's almost as bad as Newton but the financial aspect says it's smarter to run with him if the only option is Cam. 

My Criteria For A Quarterback, Ten Simple Rules

Everyone has their own criteria for how they evaluate quarterbacks coming out of college. Some only look at the current season, some look at the entire body of work. Some require wins and others big name schools. Everyone has their own formula to what makes a good quarterback prospect. What do I look for in a quarterback, I don't think it's that complicated. My Ideal quarterback will meet near or all of the following.

1) Has minimum two years with at least 100 passing attempts, even if one is red shirted year. I figure that is about the equalivlent of playing two quarters of an NFL season.

2) Have a 2:1 touchdown to interception ratio at the minimum.

3) Average 10 or less interceptions a season but no greater than a 15 a season average.

4) Have a minimum career completetion percentage of 60 percent. It doesn't meant that they are super accurate but it does mean they at least get the ball to the guys bubble.

5) Average a minimum 10 touchdown passes a season. Lower career passing touchdowns must compensate with rushing touchdowns.

6) I wanna see stats improving over their career.

7) Being a starter is a plus but it's not a requirement, same for wins because football is a team sport. there are many reasons why a guy might not start or have high win totals.

8) Preferably 6'4" or taller but not a requirement, as heigt doesn't mean ability.

9) Must be able to dink and dunk. Gun slingers are nice but they often lead to a greater deal of turnovers and change of downs.

10) Ability to make pre-snap reads and adjustments. This in my opinion puts them at the NFL level and requires less development time as a player. This is what separates early starting game managers from developmental projects that need to sit a year. 

I start with the current years completetion percentage. Once I have that list, I look at their career stats. They will start in rank order by the current year's completion percentage but their career stats will cause the adjustments to their ranking. 

Stidham will have little impact on who the Patriots bring in at quarterback but will likely see another competition in 2021

The New England Patriots 2019 fourth round draft pick Jarret Stidham finished the year with a 50% completion percentage going 22 of 44 for 256 yards with 2 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. If Stidham had played a full season, based off his four quarters he would've been on pace for the following stats with this offense. 352 of 704 for 4096 yards with 32 touchdowns and 48 interceptions. Granted  he would've need his pass catchers to hand pick sixes once a game to the defense. Obviously, one would think he would've improved during the season if he was actually getting playing time and the numbers would be different.

Stidham was not put in a situation where he could use his legs too much and would've been on pace for 117 yards on the ground. He has the ability to scramble but takes too long to run. He wants to be a pocket passer which is great but he cannot ignore his instincts to run. The hesitation as a runner, with his ability has to be fixed this upcoming training camp.

When asked if he wanted Stidham to start the final two games Josh McDainiels said, "You know, that’s Coach (Belichick)’s decision, and I honor whatever he makes in terms of those choices, We work as hard as we can to get everybody ready to go. I’ve seen plenty of Jarrett in practice. I see him every day, so I’ve seen him for two years. I’m confident that I understand where Jarrett’s at in his development." It's not hard to expect that the Patriots know that their backup has potential but needs to work on his ball placement skills and decision making. 

Zack Cox of NESN noted, "As the second-string quarterback, the majority of Stidham’s practice reps come on the scout team. The 24-year-old is the only Patriots QB currently under contract for next season." 

Thus meaning Stidham has not been running the Patiots' playbook in practice or taking meaningful reps. Cam Newton the Patriots 2020 starter was still learning the playbook and Jarrett Stidham running opposing teams' playbooks, No wonder both quarterbacks looked like they didn't know the offense this season.

Bill Belichick was quoted in Janruary of 2020 as saying he wanted to sit Stidham one more year behind Brady. When Brady left, the Patriots brought in veteran passer Brian Hoyer and eventually Cam Newton. It was expected that Stidham would beat out Hoyer. Reports in August said that Cam and Jarrett were neck and neck. At one point, they were named co starters. After watching them as passers this season, one must ask if the 10 year former MVP looked like a sophomore or if the sophomore looked like a 10 year veteran on the decline. Stidham was said to look like the better passer in camp before an injury awarded the job to Newton.

Due to that injury, Stidham found himself in Bill's dog house. The Patriots were both upset that he didn't report the injury and the lack of information surrounding how the injury occurred. When veteran Brian Hoyer started making grave mental mistakes, it was clear that Belichick had to bring Stidham in from the dog house and give him back his job as the number two passer. 

The Patriots would bring Jarrett in this season with the team behind and with a chances to come back versus Kansas City and San Francisco. there was a lot of pressure to succeed and make big plays. Stidham looked alright versus Kansas City but looked like a sophomore with no experience versus both the 49ers and Bills. In the blowout versus the Chargers, Stidham hit a perfectly executed timing route to Olszewski, something Cam Newton has shown he struggles to do. This showed why it's too early to give up on the kid.

The Patriots keeping Stidham on the bench during this poor passing season showed that they were protecting him because they did not have faith in the team to make the playoffs.They shielded his confidence. It also showed to me that they wanted to keep film of him limited heading into 2021, to give them somewhat of an advantage.

Stidham will likely be competing against a new veteran addition or a rookie for the starting job in 2021. With the Patriots clearly wanting to keep a more pocket oriented passer, and with his skills as a passer looking comparable to Newton, It makes little sense to bring Newton Back unless there are no better options. Stidham might not have Newton's legs but he can run and has better throwing mechanics, making his flaws as a passer easier to fix than his Auburn alumni.

The Patriots will have options at the position but either way, Stidham is sure to be on the roster in 2021, as the Patriots have him under contract until 2022. Stidham will have to show the Patriots something or he could be out of the league after the 2021 season. With the likelihood of Brian Hoyer becoming the quarterback coach and Adam Gase or Chip Kelly being brought in to be the offensive coordinator, Stidham could still salvage what looks like a career destined as a career backup.

Cam Newton says other quarterbacks get to play bad and keep their job.

The New England Patriots 2020 season came to a close with a victory over the New York Jets, that saw them lock up the number fifteen selection in the 2021 NFL draft.There has been plenty of speculation that the Patriots would take a quarterback in the first round. That was fueled even more by Adam Schefter, who tweeted that Cam Newton and The Patriots were going to be parting ways. Schefter has since recanted his statement, however that hasn't stopped the media from pursiing that line of thought.

Following Sunday's victory, Cam Newton spoke this week with WEEI about his future and his ability to play the position. So does Cam think he's played bad enoough to lose his job?

Newton told WEEI, "Honestly, it's too early to tell. That's as honest as I can be. Do I think I have starting talent? Absolutely. Do I think a lot of things that I've done were devalued? Not the team's perspective, probably the media's perspective -- absolutely."

Cam threw eight touchdowns and ten interceptions. He was inconsistent, inaccurate, and made poor decisions. He ran for twelve touchdowns but looked slower than Tom Brady at times. Newton Failed to see open pass catchers and threw the ball to their bubble instead of where he needed to. Newton often threw the ball late, into the ground, Above their heads, behind or way infront of his targets.

Cam Newton played like one of the worst, if not worst passer in the league in 2020. Sure there can be an excuse made that he didnt have the best weapons but looking at his play, the same arguement can be made for New England pass catchers unit was a below average squad playing with a bottom eight tier passer. There is an arguement that Cam Newton arrived late and didnt know the playbook and dealth with bad play calling. Again, the arguement can be made that Cam struggled with the limited playbook he was given and couldn't be trusted to expand the playbook.

There is also the arguement that Cam had covid. However, after beating up on the worst passing defense in the NFL (Seattle), Cam Newton started to show inconsistency and decline versus the Raiders. In fact his first half was as bad, if not worse than Jarrett Stidham's quarter versus the Chiefs. All of Stidham's play was comparable to Cam Newton's play and Stidham only played about four quarters worth of time. What does that say about Cam and what does he think aout it?

Here's what the 31 year old passer told WEEI, "I know out of 32 guys, I'm not the 32 position rank. So you have to also understand, I'm a competitor first. I know what my skill set is, I know what my talent is. I understand that if given the opportunity, there is nobody better than me. That's how I'll always feel. I have to also feel realistic about the opportunity that is presented as well."

Newton was given the chance to start fifteen games for the Patriots. Former coaches in the media said that after the Patriots were eliminated, that it made zero sense to start him. However, that's exactly what the Patriots did. They started Cam Newton and yet there are people who do not feel starting that many games is being given a chance.

When asked, there are people who scuff at the idea of Cam not returning and taking a backup job. Cam Supporters will tell you that "the Patriots need to give Cam a true number one receiver, a true number one tight end. They will tell you give Cam Julio and Marvin Jones, plus Hunter Henry and watch how good he is." Give Stidham, Trebisnky, or Hoyer those targets and they'll also look like stars.

Newton commented on the idea of holding a clipboard in 2020. Newton said, "If you are asking me, Do I want to be a backup? Hell no! When I look at other teams, and I'm looking at other players play, there have been guys that have been getting away with murder for years because of subpar play. Do I have the right to say that with the year I had this year? No. But I'm going to be honest and say it because that's what I do."

Newton who had said his stock hasn't dropped, now says quarterbacks have been keeping their jobs due to bad play? He just said he didn't play bad earlier and now other guys are excused for playing bad, he's just too proud to admit he's not good enough on his own to be a starter.

Mike Reiss quoted Cam Newton as saying it would be "remarkable" for Belichick to want him back. If his stock hadn't dropped, why wouldn't Belichick want him back, when all Bill did was sing his praise all season? Newton added his goals for the offseason, "I have to obviously work on my mechanics. I have to obviously throw the football sooner rather than the latter part of last year. Those things, I'm going to be focused on as we get geared up for offseason."

Newton back talked and admitted that he played bad and had things to work on as a passer. He made excuses to why he should still be starting and even though he did not come straight out and say it, it's clear he expects to be holding a clipboard in 2021.

The Business Trip Looks Like It's Coming To An End.

For many Patriots fans coming into the 2020 NFL season, the offense could not get any worse than the 2019 offense where Brady only put up 25 touchdowns. Little did they know that when Cam Newton Said hold my beer, that he would barely put up 5.

Cam Newton has rushed for 513 yards and 12 touchdowns but his option handoffs take too long, there is no option toss plays and the whole option offense is about as fast as a  world war two tank. In fact a turtle might be quicker getting down the field.

Pro Football Network ranks Cam Newton as the 30th quarterback going into week 17. NFL.com ranks Newton 28th and so does CBS sports. PFF has the Patriots pass catchers ranked 27th. I do believe that Newton is a worse passer than the group he's been throwing to.

There's a lot of talk that the Patriots pass catchers not getting open has hurt Cam. However, those same pass catchers are also being hurt because they're catching balls put in bad areas, if the ball even gets near them. 

We haven't really heard anyone saying those pass catchers need a better quarterback, well that was until week 16, when Newton stepped up in the pocket and threw the ball into the ground near Harry's feet. The Patriots pass-catching unit is better than the Patriots quarterback room and they have been suffering from inaccurate quarterbacks with poor decision making.

Cam Newton spent a hot minute talking to reporters on New Year's Eve. Here's a little of what he said, “For me, I still can be better. I still can be more consistent. Some of the throws that I’ve had, I wish I would have had back. But yet nobody cares about the circumstances, nobody cares about the waves or the tide that’s in the water. They just care about you just reeling that ship on in, and I didn’t do that consistently enough.”

Newton is right, nobody cared about circumstance. See there's a difference between knowing a playbook and knowing how to pass the ball. When there's guys open and he doesn't see them, when he's throwing the ball 5 feet around his target instead if to his target, when he cannot hit timing routes; there's something wrong. I'm sure covid effected him but it's not responsible for his accuracy issues and decision making. That's always been an issue and it's just getting worse as he ages.

If Newton looked good but was struggling with the offense, it be different. We'd understand the limited playbook not growing but he's been struggling to operate the basics that McDaniels is calling. 

This season, Newton ran all over Miami, who struggled against option style offenses. Then he threw all over the 32 ranked pass defense of Seattle's. After that he started struggling against the Raiders and it was all down hill from there. 

Ryan Hannable was part of that day's interview with coach Belichick.  Here's what Hannable tweeted."Bill Belichick asked about Cam Newton saying yesterday he wishes he had more time with system: "I agree with what Cam said, I wish we had more time together." Wouldn't address second part of question about potentially wanting to work with him next year, focused on this week."

Listening to the two, it doesn't sound like there's much faith in another season. When thinking about McDaniels comments about leaving the quarterback decision up to Belichick for week 16 instead of getting behind Cam, that was a clear message from McDaniels to Bill that Newton cannot run his offense.

Jerry Trotta of Musket Fire said something in a recent article about Belichick and Newton that really puts things into perspective.

"The last time we checked, when the term “regret” is uttered in press conferences, it normally doesn’t set the tone for a happy ending," wrote Trotta.

The Patriots are 6 and 9 heading into their season finally against their division rival, the New York Jets. The Jets are playing better football and a field goal probably won't win the Patriots the game. All the talk about the Patriots being a 7 and 9 team pre Cam Newton and a playoff team once he was signed. 

Brian Hoyer and Jarret Stidham kept the Patriots in the game versus the Chiefs with help from the defense but Hoyer's half time debacle and Edelman handing the defense a pick six sealed that game. The defense was the team's identity this season but the offense didn't have a consistent game manager. There's no doubt in my mind after watching this team play in 2020 that the Patriots would have no worse than the same record without Newton ever being signed. 

The pass catchers aren't the best, the playcalling wasn't inspiring but at the end of the day, when Cam's arm was needed; he failed to consistently deliver. Bill Belichick is not Al Davis, the Patriots are not gonna build a track meet to suit Newton's throwing style. They adapted the offense with all the option plays and expected Newton to be able to play quarterback in their system. They expected too much. The 2020 experiment is over with week 17 being just as much a formality as lining up on defense against the victory formation. There's a safe bet that Cam Newton's "business trip" has come to an end.