Fans were too quick to anoint Cam Newton as Tom Brady’s successor

Fans tried to forget about Tom Brady as quickly as possible after Cam Newton’s initial success, but that’s not working anymore.

New England Patriots fans surely still like what they’ve seen from Cam Newton in terms of what he’s capable of as the team’s starting quarterback. However, 2-1/4 impressive games just isn’t enough to anoint him as Tom Brady’s successor.

We know how badly Pats Nation wants to forget about Brady after he left the team in free agency this past offseason, but it’s not that easy. The man quarterbacked the team for 20 years, won six Super Bowls, and took home three MVP awards. You don’t just write that guy off after a couple of sexy performances by your new starter.

And now, quite frankly, the Patriots have hit rock bottom for their standards, sitting at 2-4 with the Bills, Ravens and Cardinals coming within the next five weeks. The offense looks the worst it ever has under Belichick and, though the COVID-19 strains have affected the team, it’s safe to say lacking Brady’s continuity is having an even bigger impact.

Is Newton bad just because he’s faltered the last few weeks while in the midst of learning an entirely new system after playing just 20 games since the start of 2018? Absolutely not. But everyone was way too quick to think he the immediate, seamless answer that would help fans Men in Black themselves in regards to Brady’s insane two-decade run.

Do you think Brady was maybe smart to leave this team when he did? The Patriots have absolutely nobody in the passing game to rely on and it’s showed based on the team reportedly looking for reinforcements at the trade deadline coupled with the fact that opposing scouts and executives have called their receiving corps the worst in the NFL.

Brady seemed to have taken a step back last year, but don’t you think that was because of largely what we’re seeing right now? We also know Newton isn’t this bad. He simply doesn’t have a lot working in his favor on top of having no weapons around him.

TB12 is lighting it up in Tampa Bay and that’s because he has a formidable support system. And we can’t delegitimize that because so many quarterbacks around the league have top-notch skill players and still can’t get the job done.

Long story short, if Brady was still in New England, it’d be a much different story. They might not be 6-0, but they definitely wouldn’t be enduring this debacle, and he wouldn’t be getting benched for Jarrett Stidham in the wake of a 33-6 blowout at the hands of a visiting, injury-battered 49ers team.

Brady wasn’t declining in a significant manner last season. Belichick was being short-sighted in his ability to keep this aging, yet somehow vastly inexperienced offense afloat. The unit possesses no discernible skills and Brady was right to be frustrated about that lack of dynamism. And we wouldn’t be surprised if Newton is now too.

Jarrett Stidham replacing Cam Newton was embarrassing new low

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