Patriots entire backfield picked up Cam Newton with dominant showing

The Patriots backfield (Sony Michel, Rex Burkhead and JJ Taylor!) picked up QB Cam Newton against Las Vegas on Sunday.

After a shaky and conservative first half showing on Sunday, the Patriots ultimately coasted to a comfortable 36-20 win over Las Vegas. The victory really speaks volumes to the talent of this roster as Cam Newton, unlike the first two games of the season, had an off day under center.

For the game, the 31-year-old quarterback finished 17-of-28 (60.7%) for 162 yards to go with a touchdown and interception apiece. Those aren’t terrible numbers by any stretch, but they pale in comparison to his Week 2 showing against Seattle, when he completed 30 of 44 pass attempts for a career-high 397 yards and a TD.

Newton certainly didn’t play bad enough to be on the losing side, but there’s no denying that the entire Patriots backfield picked him up with a boastful effort against the Raiders.

It would simply be wrong not to give all of the contributors from the Week 3 win some proper recognition. Sony Michel led the way with 117 yards on 9 carries, ripping off the two longest runs (38 and 48 yards) of his respective career. Veteran backup Rex Burkhead was a pleasant surprise, taking six rushes for 49 yards and two touchdowns.

Amazingly enough, undrafted rookie JJ Taylor was the No. 1 option, managing 43 yards on a team-high 11 carries. With 2019 third-round pick Damien Harris expected to be activated off injured reserve and return to practice this week, well, let’s just say head coach Bill Belichick will have some tough decisions to make before Week 4.

As for Newton, well, he found it incredibly difficult to throw downfield on Sunday, as no Patriots wide receiver had more than three receptions or 34 yards. Burkhead actually led the team with seven receptions for 49 yards and a TD, encapsulating the dominant all-around performance from the backfield.

We hold no doubts that Newton will bounce back from this performance, but Patriots fans shouldn’t get it twisted by thinking this team is better served playing in shootouts like last week against the Seahawks.

New England was built to win controlling the tempo of the game by running the football and picking and choosing when to unleash Newton’s rocket of an arm. Sunday’s win over the Raiders proved that.

Patriots QB Cam Newton rocks awesome Chadwick Boseman cleats Sunday

New England Patriots QB Cam Newton wore Chadwick Boseman tribute cleats for an important battle with the Las Vegas Raiders Sunday.