Patriots: Cam Newton must shrug off another brutal half vs Niners
By Adam Weinrib
Cam Newton’s tentative first half put the Patriots in another big hole to a very aggressive team in the San Francisco 49ers.
Patriots fans aren’t used to this. And they don’t want to ever accept it.
But for the second consecutive week, supposedly with stability restored and the Brian Hoyer-Jarrett Stidham combo permanently removed from leading the offense, Cam Newton has been unable to provide the consistency, arm talent, and dual-threat ability he exhibited early in the season.
The upgrade over the Stidham/Hoyer tier is undeniable, but Newton harnessing his talent for four full quarters and going blow-for-blow with Russell Wilson and the Seahawks feels like a distant memory.
Take, for example, the back-breaking pick he threw early in the second quarter to 49ers linebacker Fred Warner. With Newton deep in his own territory, and having bought a good amount of time, this underthrown ball was scooped up by an athletic maneuver Warner should never have had a chance to make.
"I'll take that" - @fred_warner, probably #SFvsNE on CBS pic.twitter.com/vlxISF98kJ
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) October 25, 2020
The numbers tell the story of a player whose absence from the team led to a clear interruption in the early rhythm he’d established (and the loss of N’Keal Harry for the second half will make a resurgence all the more difficult). 4-for-8, 30 yards passing, and two interceptions capped by a deep, deep downfield pick theoretically intended for Jakobi Meyers to wrap up a first half that should be sealed in the archives forever. This marks the third straight week for the Pats without a first-half touchdown, an ignominious first for Bill Belichick.
Of course, there’s also the alternate theory that Newton suffered some sort of hand injury during his touchdown-less outing against the Broncos, a game the Patriots almost stole thanks to a late flurry of turnovers.
Unfortunately, every part of Newton’s game appears to have been downgraded. The increase in accuracy that we touted after Week 2 has disappeared; he missed Damiere Byrd wide open down the field, and later tossed an ugly ball short on a crucial third down. He seems less likely to hit the hole, too, unable (or unwilling?) to participate in the caretaker offense that brought about a Week 1 win over the Dolphins.
Just a guess: He's lost in his own head. Has had 2 tough passing games and wants to prove he can move the ball in the air. And it's backfiring badly. https://t.co/vo1DnSPTSW
— Henry McKenna (@McKennAnalysis) October 25, 2020
We are now two weeks removed from the series of practice interruptions the likes of which we never would’ve seen in previous years. But that disruption, to a far greater degree, did not throw off the 5-1 Tennessee Titans.
Newton simply seems lost after a confident first several weeks, and the best plays he’s participated in recently have featured him lined up as a wide receiver to Julian Edelman’s QB. If the Pats are going to be reborn in the second half against the swarming Niners — or if they plan to contend this season in any capacity — Newton at least needs to strike a balance between caution and confidence.
