Go ahead and get your, “week-old content? Again??? Really, Stoney?” out of the way. I’m a busy man, okay? Okay, so this headline is definitely tongue-planted-firmly-in-cheek. Judging by the comments we get sometimes on some of these posts, I feel like I have to go ahead and put that out there, or some hardo will get big mad because I’m making fun of his/her team. A lot of this stuff is read by the SoBros faithful who get it, but sometimes, the G**gle machine puts us in front of people who are looking for legitimate analysis. I’m afraid I can’t do that for the New England Patriots outside of my casual following of the NFL in general. That’s how you get national analysts comparing Ryan Tannehill and Derek Carr like there’s even remotely a question of who’s better. It’s impossible, in my opinion, to cover multiple NFL teams to a depth at which you can confidently break down every team. So, I’m sorry if you’re here thinking I’m going to break down the Xs and Os of Pats minicamp. I’m just here to make fun of these air balls. I’m on a tangent right now, so let’s get back to what we’re here to talk about today. Let’s check in on the Patriots quarterback battle between Cam Newton and Mac Jones.
Cam Newton vs. Mac Jones in Patriots practice this week. pic.twitter.com/FoFhfZ6YLo
— Touchdown Alabama (@TDAlabamaMag) June 15, 2021
I’m sorry, but this is comical. No one can convince me that this isn’t funny. I’m not going to sit here and act like two errant throws at a minicamp are going to dictate who the starting quarterback of the Patriots is come September. But, it’s still something you probably don’t want to see from a guy who would probably be the starter should the season commence today. These are just hilariously bad throws – that first one, specifically, was about a mile in front of the intended target and five feet over his head. I’ll give Cam some credit – it looks like his receiver could have helped him out a little on that second one. But, compared to Jones, who finds his guys on the money (though admittedly, there’s a little too much wobble on those throws), it doesn’t look too good.
I was all in on Newton joining the Patriots last year. I thought that team, with the zillion running backs it had, was going to just line up and option the shit out of its opponents with one of the best rushing attacks in the league. They’d help out their defense, on which about 30 starters opted out of the season, by controlling the tempo and wearing the clock out. I thought for sure that that was Bill Belichick‘s master plan to surviving that season. And, still – to be fair, the fact that that team was even remotely competitive in the wild card race late into the season is a testament to the job that Belichick and his staff did in 2020. But, the quarterback position remains a huge question mark heading into season two of life after Tom Brady.
I don’t think it’s unreasonable to ask whether or not Newton is washed at this point. We just haven’t seen that dynamic quarterback that people were calling the “LeBron James of football” in a long, long time. If he’s no threat to make plays, can he be good enough as a game manager to keep the offense going? I don’t know. My bet is that Jones ends up taking over the starting job a few games into 2021. His fit with the Patriots goes beyond his style of play. It’s about easing into the role, and the way this offense is built right now, Jones can manage the game well without being asked to do a whole lot. But, he does have the arm and mental talent to take the passing game to a different level as he gains experience and confidence. That’s why at this stage in the game, Jones has a lot more upside than Newton.
Either way, at least the Pats aren’t big ol’ bitches like the Ravens, who have now banned the filming of Lamar Jackson throwing the ball at camp because he’s out there throwing ducks. *shrugs*
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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