2020 Pats: You Cam Go Your Own Way

Shelterdog

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Feb 19, 2002
15,375
New York City
That’s just not good logic. We’re down a RB so there is little depth. Once Harris is back, I think his role diminishes. And I think there is 0 chance Sony plays a prominent role next year. I certainly wouldn’t rule out a cut at some point.

Sony wasn’t the reason the running game stunk last night but he’s a big part of the problem.
The logic is sound; you’re the one saying he stinks and is awful and can’t play and if that actually is true instead of being inane hyperbole then you’d cut him even if you are short handed because running back is such an easy spot to fill.
 

RorschachsMask

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 23, 2011
5,199
Lynn
It didn’t matter who was running the ball last night, the line couldn’t run block for shit.

Sony definitely has lost most of his explosiveness, but I think he can be a solid back with a good offensive line. Of course, that’s not what you want out of a first round pick.
 

Jed Zeppelin

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 23, 2008
51,289
While the WR group is not great, the pass blocking has been phenomenal to my eye. No secondary can cover guys forever, and given all day + with Cam’s ability to extend any play, seems like the makings of an adequate air attack to balance what should be a strong running game.

Hope they can keep working tight ends in as the season progresses.
 

BigSoxFan

Member
SoSH Member
May 31, 2007
47,083
The logic is sound; you’re the one saying he stinks and is awful and can’t play and if that actually is true instead of being inane hyperbole then you’d cut him even if you are short handed because running back is such an easy spot to fill.
No, it’s not and you are attributing statements to me that I never made. For one, I never said RB is “easy to fill”.

Sony protects the ball well and knows the offense so clearly there is value there vs. some random JAG off the street. That’s why your “BB should just cut him now” logic is faulty, which is what I was responding to.

I am not going to tie up this thread on this discussion any more. It’s clear we don’t agree so I’ll agree to move on here.
 

Super Nomario

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 5, 2000
14,012
Mansfield MA
It didn’t matter who was running the ball last night, the line couldn’t run block for shit.

Sony definitely has lost most of his explosiveness, but I think he can be a solid back with a good offensive line. Of course, that’s not what you want out of a first round pick.
Yeah, it's hard to pick on Sony for 7 carries for 19 yards when Burkhead and Taylor combined for 7 carries for 1(!) yard. The run blocking was awful last night; it looked like last year's.
 

A Bad Man

Member
SoSH Member
Dec 12, 2016
1,050
I'm not sure I've seen any player in any sport exit their post game pressers with more immediacy and velocity than Cam Newton.

It's like he is poised waiting the entire time to strike at the heart of the viability of the entire establishment with this rapidity. He combines this with genuine affability, which is effective yet also clearly manufactured to appease, thereby further serving to undermine the idea of the media. I approve.
 

Mugsy's Jock

Eli apologist
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Dec 28, 2000
15,069
UWS, NYC
Yeah, it's hard to pick on Sony for 7 carries for 19 yards when Burkhead and Taylor combined for 7 carries for 1(!) yard. The run blocking was awful last night; it looked like last year's.
True but... Burkhead does bring something in the passing game. Sony just seems so mediocre and one-dimensional mediocre at that...
 

BigSoxFan

Member
SoSH Member
May 31, 2007
47,083
True but... Burkhead does bring something in the passing game. Sony just seems so mediocre and one-dimensional mediocre at that...
2018 Sony had real value but this version of him just doesn’t add much. Maybe I’ll feel differently if Harris comes back and puts the ball on the ground. Ball security is certainly a strength of Sony’s. He just doesn’t look right physically.

The line was bad yesterday but a RB sometimes needs to make something out of nothing every once and a while. I’m perfectly fine with Sony as a backup. You know what you’re getting from him but I think this team needs a better lead back.

The acquisition cost is already sunk so don’t even really care about the 1st round pick. He played a major role on a title team so we got decent value.
 

Super Nomario

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 5, 2000
14,012
Mansfield MA
True but... Burkhead does bring something in the passing game. Sony just seems so mediocre and one-dimensional mediocre at that...
Agree with all that. I just think the issue (and we saw it again on the doomed final play) is the run blocking was awful last night. It was awful when Sony was running, or Burkhead, or anybody else.
 

RedOctober3829

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 19, 2005
55,298
deep inside Guido territory
If anybody has watched the tape on this game already, you can probably answer this better than me. Did Seattle's aggressive defense present a unique challenge in the running game that not many other teams will? They tend to shoot a lot of gaps and blitzed a lot with Adams last night.
 

EL Jeffe

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 30, 2006
1,314
Agree with all that. I just think the issue (and we saw it again on the doomed final play) is the run blocking was awful last night. It was awful when Sony was running, or Burkhead, or anybody else.
Yeah, that last play was a great example. Designed to run left and Jak Johnson, Onwenu, and Wynn all got decimated at the point of attack on the left side. If 2/3 of the trio at least stalemate their matchup, Cam probably finds a way to get the yard. (Izzo at least won his matchup cleanly.)
 

BaseballJones

ivanvamp
SoSH Member
Oct 1, 2015
24,369
I haven't rewatched the game, but BB said that the Seahawks have been doing a lot of run blitzing with Adams, and that concerned him coming into the game.
 

chilidawg

Member
SoSH Member
Jan 22, 2015
5,934
Cultural hub of the universe
Sure felt like Adams was all over the LOS making plays. Might have got him in coverage a few times.

Run blocking was bad on the last play, but in the same formation other times it was very successful. Having to go away from the run game due to falling behind sure hurt those numbers as well. Seems like the run game is more successful late when the defense is gassed.
 

BaseballJones

ivanvamp
SoSH Member
Oct 1, 2015
24,369
Cam vs. Brady, 2020

Cam: 45-63 (71.4%), 552 yds, 8.8 y/a, 1 td, 1 int, 96.8 rating, 26 rushes, 122 yds, 4.7 y/a, 4 td, 0 fum
TOT: 674 total yds, 5 td, 1 turnover

Brady: 46-71 (64.8%), 456 yds, 6.4 y/a, 3 td, 3 int, 79.3 rating, 2 rushes, 4 yds, 2.0 y/a, 1 td, 1 fum
TOT: 460 total yds, 4 td, 4 turnovers

Cam is doing it with Tom's old weapons. Tom is doing it with what is universally accepted as a much better cast around him.
 

azsoxpatsfan

Does not enjoy the go
SoSH Member
May 23, 2014
4,774
Andy Dalton
Blaine Gabbert
Brett Hundley
Colt McCoy
Jeff Driskel
Chase Daniel
Marcus Mariota
Case Keenum
AJ McCarron
Chad Henne
Matt Schaub
Matt Barkley
Nathan Peterman

All quarterbacks that got more guaranteed money than Cam this offseason. Even if people thought he was washed, how is this even possible?
 

normstalls

Member
SoSH Member
Mar 15, 2004
4,486
Andy Dalton
Blaine Gabbert
Brett Hundley
Colt McCoy
Jeff Driskel
Chase Daniel
Marcus Mariota
Case Keenum
AJ McCarron
Chad Henne
Matt Schaub
Matt Barkley
Nathan Peterman

All quarterbacks that got more guaranteed money than Cam this offseason. Even if people thought he was washed, how is this even possible?
My best guess is teams weren't convinced he was healthy, but more importantly weren't convinced he would be happy as a backup QB. All of the above QBs are backups right?
 

Ferm Sheller

Member
SoSH Member
Mar 5, 2007
20,404
Andy Dalton
Blaine Gabbert
Brett Hundley
Colt McCoy
Jeff Driskel
Chase Daniel
Marcus Mariota
Case Keenum
AJ McCarron
Chad Henne
Matt Schaub
Matt Barkley
Nathan Peterman

All quarterbacks that got more guaranteed money than Cam this offseason. Even if people thought he was washed, how is this even possible?
It wasn't about money for Cam -- he wanted to start and set himself up for his next contract.
 

54thMA

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 15, 2012
10,154
Westwood MA
Cam is so outstandingly fun to watch and root for. I've loved him since Auburn, and he was a longtime dynasty QB for me in fantasy, so I've grown attached to him.

He was spectacular tonight. What a joy.
This.

Loved him at Auburn and on the Panthers, just a fun person to root for.

I love watching him play, he's dynamic and is a weapon both through the air on the ground.

I know it's super early but I really, really hope the Patriots find a way to keep him, I'll be very disappointed if he leaves after one year, but if he has a great year, he may price himself out of New England.
 

BigSoxFan

Member
SoSH Member
May 31, 2007
47,083
This.

Loved him at Auburn and on the Panthers, just a fun person to root for.

I love watching him play, he's dynamic and is a weapon both through the air on the ground.

I know it's super early but I really, really hope the Patriots find a way to keep him, I'll be very disappointed if he leaves after one year, but if he has a great year, he may price himself out of New England.
I would 100% give him a 2-3 year market rate contract extension if this performance continues and his health is intact. Only challenge is how well he ages. Will 32-34 year-old Cam be able to run? If not, he would seemingly lose a good amount of his value.
 

54thMA

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 15, 2012
10,154
Westwood MA
I would 100% give him a 2-3 year market rate contract extension if this performance continues and his health is intact. Only challenge is how well he ages. Will 32-34 year-old Cam be able to run? If not, he would seemingly lose a good amount of his value.
In your opinion, roughly what do you think that would take and based on their projected cap situation, can they make it work?
 

tims4wins

PN23's replacement
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
37,054
Hingham, MA
I thought this was pretty interesting from Bill. Cam has been in the league what 10 years? Instead of just letting him throw the way he always has - like I bet most new staffs would do if inheriting a guy like Cam - they are actively tinkering with his mechanics to seek improvement. Maybe I am looking at this from Pats colored glasses but I’m not sure that another team would take this approach.

Q: Jedd Fisch made a comment last week about Cam Newton's mechanics, saying that you wanted to marry the head with the lower body because you don't want to change his throwing motion. How do you feel that Cam has done in that regard in the two months you've had him?
BB: Yeah, Cam's worked really hard on his throwing mechanics and we've seen significant improvement during that time. Cam's the type of guy, when you point out something to him and ask him to work on it, he works very hard and he really tries to do it the way that you ask him to do it. So, I can't ask him to do any more than what he's doing, but he's definitely made some modifications in his mechanics and his delivery. I think that's helped his accuracy and the timing a little bit. Coach Fisch and Coach [Josh] McDaniels, as well as Cam, have worked very hard on certain things that we're doing that maybe he hasn't done as much of in the past or we're doing them a little differently, whatever the case might be. But, he works very hard at his fundamentals and techniques and the execution of the passing game. The results have been positive and I'd say significantly better on those certain types of plays that those adjustments need to be made on.
 

tims4wins

PN23's replacement
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
37,054
Hingham, MA
Cam addressed his contract today. He is saying all the right things.

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/29944915/cam-newton-finances-potential-extension-patriots-not-priorities

"Surprisingly but true, and factual enough, if I do what I'm supposed to do, as I'm expected to, that will not be a topic of discussion moving forward," Newton said on sports radio WEEI's "The Greg Hill Show."
"Money at this particular point in my career is not important. Let's be honest: I've made money, but for everything that I play this game for, I haven't received yet. And that's why I'm playing. So it's not about money, it's about respect."


"I understand what you're trying to do, and I understand what you're trying to say, but you must understand: That is literally the last of my worries. If we had to put an analogy in it, that is probably under so much work at my desk that I'm not too much really focused on," Newton responded.
"I do admire and love the culture of the Patriots. It's been a place for me that's been therapeutic. This is a place that has been kind of rather challenging for my growth. It's making me better. And it's been a place that has given me everything for my needs at this particular point of time in my life. Yet through it all, I'm going to let the cards shuffle the way they shuffle and do the things I can control."

"In the fine tunes of my contract, since we're talking contracts, if I hit certain incentives I will be able to dress all the coaches including Bill Belichick. So that's something I'm looking forward to," he chuckled.
 

The Talented Allen Ripley

holden
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Oct 2, 2003
12,723
MetroWest, MA
David Andrews had surgery after breaking his thumb this week.

New England Patriots starting center David Andrews underwent surgery on the right thumb of his snapping hand this week, a source confirmed.

Jay Glazer of Fox Sports first reported the surgery, which is expected to keep Andrews out of Sunday's home game against the Las Vegas Raiders (CBS, 1 p.m. ET) and possibly beyond.

Andrews, who injured the thumb during last Sunday's loss to the Seattle Seahawks, did not participate in team drills on Wednesday and Thursday, although he was present at the start of practice the past two days with a wrap/cast on his right thumb that extended down to his wrist. At one point, in individual drills, he attempted to snap with his left hand.
 

Silverdude2167

Member
SoSH Member
Oct 9, 2006
4,681
Amstredam
Best stat of the day - the Pats ran for 250, and Cam only had 5 carries.
He seems to be doing a great job of protecting him self.

On the long run he got down instead of getting hit trying to get more yards than were required...and on the third and long option play, when he saw he wasn't getting 5 let alone 11 yards he gave himself up for instead of taking hits.

I was really happy to see this, as every hit scares me.
 

Kliq

Member
SoSH Member
Mar 31, 2013
22,667
He seems to be doing a great job of protecting him self.

On the long run he got down instead of getting hit trying to get more yards than were required...and on the third and long option play, when he saw he wasn't getting 5 let alone 11 yards he gave himself up for instead of taking hits.

I was really happy to see this, as every hit scares me.
I feel the exact same way, thought the same things on both plays you point out. It is fun and exciting, but even during the Seattle game I was worried that the Patriots red zone offense appeared to be solely using our QB as a battering ram.
 

tims4wins

PN23's replacement
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
37,054
Hingham, MA
While I'm loving the Cam era, let's be honest about yesterday - that was a C- performance at best. He flat out wasn't very good yesterday. The Pats were fortunate to not be down multiple scores at halftime.

I'm confident that he'll be better next week, but given all of the flak that Brady took around these parts last year, it's only fair to hold Newton to a higher standard than he showed yesterday.
 

Kenny F'ing Powers

posts way less than 18% useful shit
SoSH Member
Nov 17, 2010
14,425
Yeah, he was a different player last game.

The thing that impressed me so much the first two games was his ability to go through his progressions. His accuracy wasnt always great, but he worked the field.

This last game, it really seemed like he was either firing on his first target regardless of coverage or holding the ball way too long. They mitigated that in the 2nd half with a huge focus on passing to the RBs. Hopefully he gets back to seeing the field better next week.
 

BaseballJones

ivanvamp
SoSH Member
Oct 1, 2015
24,369
So Cam has had three very different performances.

Week 1 - dynamic in the running game, completed a very high percentage of passes, but just didn't throw much.

Week 2 - got in a shootout with Seattle and damned near pulled it off, throwing for nearly 400 yards on a day when the running game did nothing.

Week 3 - didn't play very well and forced a few balls, while at the same time not doing much on the ground, yet even BB pointed out that he did a nice job checking into the right play on a bunch of occasions, and made a handful of big and important plays.

Here's the question: Is he the guy to lead New England for the next 4 years? He sure looks good with this team and I think BB loves him. But they're not gonna likely spend $30 million a year on the QB moving forward. So......???