Ever since the news broke of Cam Newton agreeing to sign with the New England Patriots, fans have fantasized about what the team could look like if the 2015 MVP is healthy and back to form.
This excitement isn’t without merit. Newton proved himself to be the ultimate dual-threat during the Carolina Panthers’ 15-1 regular season run and a trip to the Super Bowl. Much has been made about what many see as a decline of Newton’s skills over the past few seasons.
Cam Newton’s Red Zone Stats are Exciting
Newton’s demise has been greatly exaggerated and a stat Pro Football Focus shared on Saturday speaks to his potency in one specific area. Take a look at his passing numbers in the red zone since 2018:
It’s better than the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes, equal to the Los Vegas Raiders’ Derek Carr, and just behind the New Orleans Saints’ Drew Brees.
Cam Newton > Tom Brady in the Red Zone in 2020
In case you’re wondering about Tom Brady’s numbers in the red zone, I can tell you he ranks well beneath the top four quarterbacks on the shortlist above, and in 2019, he had a 55.4 completion percentage inside the opponent’s 20-yard line.
Obviously, there is no comparison when it comes to mobility. Newton is arguably the greatest running QB inside the 10-yard line because of his athleticism and size. I don’t expect him to run as much as he used to, and I also expect to see him slide more than he ever did early in his career.
Even with the precautions, his ability to make plays with his legs instantly gives the Patriots an element they never had with Brady as the quarterback.
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#CamNewton #PatriotsNation #Patriots NFL Experts on Cam Newton: Pats Pulpit's Bernd Buchmasser "As a pure passer, however, Newton has not been in the same category as of late because that is not what his skillset is. As noted above, he is at his best when working a quick attack that builds on his rhythm and decision making — something former Panthers offensive coordinator Norv Turner recognized when he arrived in Carolina in 2018. Turner adapted the team’s offense to take advantage of his quarterback’s strengths, and that meant fewer deep passing attempts and a focus on the short and intermediate parts of the field. Sound familiar?" Former Auburn Coach Gene Chizik: “When Cam gets into the building, he’s all business, he’s a football dude. He loves it, he eats it up, he studies the game – it matters to him. So, he’ll adapt and adjust. What Bill wants — he wants a guy to come into the building and is all football. How he cares about the way he dresses and what he wears – I don’t know. Now, Cam will be on point in the messaging. Whatever Bill’s message is, he will make it clear that is the expectation for what Cam’s message is. So, although it seems like it’s oil and water because you got this one conservative guy who lives by the motto of ‘the less you say the less you have to take back,’ I still think that he’s all about the football grind and he wants football guys and I think that’s what attracted him to Cam. So I think it’s going to work better than most people think. It’s a win-win for New England. If Cam comes in there and he becomes anything close to the 2015 MVP that he was, it’s a win. And I think that’s all Bill cares about. I think when Cam gets into the building, they’ll be on the same page.” USA Today's Steven Ruiz on Cam's Charisma: "Cam is gonna win over the Patriots locker room in about 5 seconds. The most charismatic QB in the league." Former Patriot and ESPN analyst Damien Woody: If Cam is healthy, the Patriots will be "unlike anything we've seen in 20 years of Bill Belichick being in New England. He's never had an offensive weapon like Cam Newton."
A post shared by Pats Nation 365 (@pats_nation_365) on Jul 3, 2020 at 9:27pm PDT
As former Patriot and current ESPN analyst said last week, a healthy Newton could give the Patriots a weapon, unlike anything we’ve seen during Bill Belichick’s time with the team.
The first time we see a spy forced to keep his eyes on Newton inside the red zone, and that attention leaves Julian Edelman working one-on-one in the slot, we’ll all understand how valuable a healthy Newton’s presence can be to the Patriots in 2020.
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Brian Mazique is a veteran sports contributor who covered the NFL, NBA and UFC for Heavy.com from 2020 to 2023, with a focus on the New England Patriots and Chicago Bulls. His work has been featured at Forbes, Bleacher Report and his YouTube channel "Unique Mazique." More about Brian Mazique
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