Of all the lessons Cam Newton has learned in New England, the toughest came this week.
After the Pats played poorly, he played worse, and together they stumbled to a 2-4 record that would’ve stunned them and preseason prognosticators alike. Speaking Thursday, Newton summed the lesson up rather succinctly.
“Losing is not acceptable in this locker room, in this county, in this state, in this area, in this region,” he said. “So Cameron Newton, you need to pick your expletive up. That’s what I’ve learned.”
Newton described himself as climbing a learning curve, having returned from the COVID-19 reserve list just two weeks ago and having since dropped brutal home games to the Broncos and 49ers. Last Sunday’s 33-6 loss to San Francisco set recent franchise records for offensive futility, mostly thanks to Newton. He went 9-of-15 for 98 yards and three interceptions before being benched in the third quarter.
The former MVP said he’s been doing too much thinking in place of reacting and playing. The comfort he felt in the offense prior to testing positive for the coronavirus has been replaced with uncertainty. His stinker Sunday followed a similarly dreadful performance against Denver, which featured two picks and a pair of fumbles.
“This whole week, starting on Sunday from the first quarter, was a humbling experience. Getting the tap on the shoulder (from Patriots coach Bill Belichick) was a humbling experience. I’m not used to that,” he said. “Now I’m at a crossroads.”
Looking ahead, Newton labeled this weekend’s trip to Buffalo a must-win for the Patriots. In Buffalo, he’ll spot a familiar face on the opposite sideline: Bills coach Sean McDermott. The longtime defensive whiz coached in Carolina over the first six years of Newton’s career.
Newton said unquestionably that familiarity with McDermott’s scheme should help him feel comfortable again, but ultimately he’s expecting a close game in Buffalo.
“I’m pretty sure coach McDermott was gonna have — and will have — some type of wrinkles,” Newton said. “He’s a great coach. He’s been doing a great job there, him and (Bills general manager Brandon) Beane, just getting the right guys in for what they’re trying to do. And I’ve been extremely impressed, and look forward to a great, competitive battle on Sunday.”
To keep up with the division-leading Bills, the Patriots must start by simply keeping the ball. The Pats are minus-2 on the season in turnover differential. By himself, Newton has thrown seven interceptions to only two touchdowns. If he throws zero picks, it will be progress.
Then, he can further recenter himself by throwing right again — which he’s strangely avoided for two games in a row — and straighten out his footwork that’s led to occasional inaccuracy. If Newton doesn’t, he knows his job will be in jeopardy. He described his recent play as “trash.”
The problem for Newton will be a lack of help. His two most targeted receivers, Julian Edelman and N’Keal Harry, should be out Sunday. Edelman’s mid-week knee surgery has sidelined him for the foreseeable future, while Harry hasn’t practiced since suffering a concussion against the 49ers.
The Pats’ next leading pass catchers by total targets are Damiere Byrd and two running backs.
That creates a major opportunity for Jakobi Meyers, who led the Pats with four catches against San Francisco. His playing time has surprisingly declined after a rookie season where he periodically served as the team’s No. 2 option out of necessity. Nevertheless, Meyers is excited for his expected jump in playing time and the opportunity to connect with Newton, who was once his childhood idol — and coach.
“When I was younger in high school, I made his 7-on-7 team, his all-star team, and we traveled to Florida to play in a league,” Meyers remembered Thursday. “We ended up losing, but it was still a great experience, it was a good experience to meet Cam when I was very young, a lot of guys where I come from look up to him, so that was definitely a once in a lifetime opportunity for me.”
Aside from recording several completions, one of the best signs for the Pats offense will be how Newton, Meyers and others connect presnap. How often Newton is calling signals and making changes to a play will reflect a confidence in his reads and comfort in taking full control; the kind of command he showed last month, when the Patriots averaged 29 points per game and sped to a 2-1 start.
But if Newton remains hesitant and the Pats lose at Buffalo, the consequences are clear: making the playoffs will become all but a distant fantasy and several jobs — including his — will be at risk. The NFL’s trade deadline will loom 48 hours after the game ends, at which point hard lessons will yield to hard decisions and harder goodbyes.
Newton isn’t ready to think about that just yet.
“Listen man, good vibes, good energies, you have to speak things into existence. I refute (that thought),” he said. “My main focus is to play a better version of what I’ve been playing lately — protecting the football. That’s the key to victory.”
