The game didn’t look too big or too fast for Jones QB3 Brian Hoyer lauded his mental capacity Dont’a Hightower complimented his work ethic, mentioning that Jones was looking at the Patriots’ defensive playbook to deepen his understanding of the other side of the ball. Rookies always take their lumps, but coming out of Alabama, Jones was billed as a shrewd decision-maker with quality accuracy-and that’s exactly what he was in the preseason for New England. But they hedged their bet by drafting Jones, opening up the infamous quarterback competition: not really an open battle between two potential starters, but rather an investigation into how long the incumbent can fend off the newbie.Īnd while Newton’s hold on the starting job was tenuous, Jones’s performance was encouraging. When Newton returned to New England in the 2021 offseason, it seemed the Patriots were willing to take another look at his potential. His production dropped throughout the year, and with it, the Patriots’ record: They finished 7-8 with Newton at the helm. In 2020, Newton started 15 games for New England on a previous one-year deal, but his exciting early-season play fizzled after abdomen and arm injuries, as well as the residual effects of a positive COVID-19 case in early October. Only $3.5 million of Newton’s one-year, $14 million deal was tied into salary and signing bonus- the remaining $10.5 million was made up of roster bonuses and performance incentives, which Newton will never see now that he’s off of the Patriots’ roster. In New England, Newton’s hold on the starting job was even lighter than that of most veteran quarterbacks. That decision may have cost them a wild-card berth in 2021, but the temptation to onboard and evaluate a young passer is almost impossible to resist. Just last year, the 3-3 Dolphins benched starting QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, who was playing just fine, for an opportunity to see their rookie passer, Tua Tagovailoa. Anytime a quarterback is selected in the first round, the veteran quarterback is put on notice: His job will always be up in the air, from the moment training camp begins to the end of the season. Only he didn’t do it by announcing Mac as the starter he did it by cutting Newton outright.Įach of those moves-naming Jones the starter and cutting Newton-deserves its own conversation. Then, on Tuesday afternoon, Belichick named Mac Jones the starting quarterback. So, definitely moving in the right direction.” As recently as Tuesday morning, Belichick said of Newton’s performance: “Certainly he started at a much higher point than what he did last year. He gave both Jones and Newton plenty of run in practice and in the preseason, always nodding to Newton as the current starter given his veteran status, but never committing to a Week 1 decision. As Jones battled Newton for the starting job, Belichick made no mention of the team’s urgency to revamp the offense, reload the defense, and win some football games. They were so desperate, so aggressive, and so oriented toward retooling that they even brought Matt Patricia back on staff.Ĭould the 49ers Use a Decade-Old Idea to Get Back to the Super Bowl? Ranking All 45 Bears Quarterbacks Since the Team Last Won the Super Bowl Where Does Cam Newton Go From Here?īut despite the team’s uncharacteristically explosive offseason, Belichick has presented this process with characteristic dispassion. They spent more guaranteed money in free agency than any team has before and drafted Alabama QB Mac Jones in the first round-the first time they’d selected a quarterback that early since Drew Bledsoe in 1993. So Belichick and the Patriots went scorched earth. The Patriots went 7-9, enduring their first losing season in two decades. The Patriots’ dominance, long considered a product of the unimpeachable bond between an elite quarterback and head coach, took a massive hit when Brady left for Tampa Bay and left Bill Belichick with free agent quarterback Cam Newton at the helm. Perhaps the weirdest thing of all was watching Tom Brady win a Super Bowl (very standard) for a team other than the New England Patriots (absolutely ludicrous). Stop me when the wackiness overwhelms you. The Saints started Taysom Hill at quarterback, and the Broncos one-upped them by starting an actual wide receiver at QB in Kendall Hinton. A team doctor accidentally punctured Tyrod Taylor’s lung, and Justin Herbert won Rookie of the Year as a result. The league played games on every day of the week. NFL footage © NFL Productions LLC.The 2020 NFL season feels like a fever dream. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. NFL and the NFL shield design are registered trademarks of the National Football League.The team names, logos and uniform designs are registered trademarks of the teams indicated.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |