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What would the New England Patriots‘ record be through three weeks if Cam Newton was the starting quarterback?
Hall-of-Famer and Fox Sports personality Shannon Sharpe believes it would be better than the 1-3 mark the team has with rookie Mac Jones as the starter. In fact, Sharpe says he is comfortable predicting the Patriots would be 3-0 with Newton as the starter, but at least 2-1.
Sharpe first started in on the subject on FS1’s “Undisputed” on Monday. As a guest on WEEI’s The Greg Hill show, Sharpe gave some details to back up his prediction.
He said:
I feel very comfortable in saying if Cam Newton had been their starting quarterback, they would be 3-0. They for sure would’ve beaten the [Miami] Dolphins. And they won their last game, they beat the [New York] Jets, but everybody can beat the Jets — that’s not saying anything. But how about this: they are no worse than 2-1.
Many will bat down any suggestion that the Patriots would be better off with Newton than they are with Jones, but Sharpe’s take isn’t ludicrous.
Would Cam Newton Have Made a Difference in Week 1?
Even if you buy into the narrative that suggests Newton isn’t an accurate passer downfield, there is reason to believe his mobility and the impact he has on defenses could have still positively impacted the Patriots’ chances of beating the Dolphins in Week 1.
As it was, the Patriots lost a heartbreaker to Miami 17-16 after running back Damien Harris fumbled on what would have been a potential game-winning drive. Prior to Harris’ fumble, the Patriots had two drives stall inside the 15-yard line which forced New England to settle for field goals.
Newton was dominant from that range last season when he ran for 12 touchdowns. How would the playcalling had been different if Newton was the quarterback? It seems the Patriots’ advantage on the ground (125 to 74 yards) might have only been bigger with Newton providing another threat.
Jones hardly ever pushed the ball downfield in this game, so it stands to reason the Patriots wouldn’t have lost anything without the rookie on the field. Yet, they certainly would have gained a threat if Newton was still on the roster and started the season opener.
Newton Might Not Have Mattered in Week 3 Vs. the Saints
The New Orleans Saints destroyed the Patriots’ offensive line. That issue would have been a problem for New England even with Newton as the quarterback.
Jones’ ability to create anything with his lack of mobility didn’t help to ease the weight, but there is no guarantee the Patriots would have been able to run the ball effectively against the Saints.
Still, while it may sound far fetched, Sharpe is likely on to something. New England could be 2-1 with Newton, but we’ll never know as the Jones era is in full swing.
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