There seems to be at least some degree of astonishment that Cam Newton is a really, really good NFL quarterback.
As if the nine-season track record of three Pro Bowl appearances, one All-Pro honor and a 2015 NFL MVP wasn’t proof enough, Newton is still turning heads two weeks into his New England Patriots career.
And it is at least slightly understandable. Newton was just … available for more than three months this offseason. The Carolina Panthers tried to trade Newton, signed Teddy Bridgewater, realized they had absolutely no leverage whatsoever then released their franchise icon days after free agency already began.
It took three months and a minimum offer from the Patriots for Newton to make his way back onto an NFL roster.
Let it be remembered: The Patriots were fully willing to go into the 2020 NFL season with either Jarrett Stidham or Brian Hoyer as their starting quarterback until they reached a deal with Newton.
And now Newton is making them, once again, look like the only NFL franchise with any sense. There are plenty of teams who could have upgraded their quarterback position by signing Newton. Panthers fans have to be feeling most dismayed after watching Newton look like his old self again in a Patriots jersey as Carolina starts the season 0-2.
Newton is completing 71.4. percent of his passes for 552 yards. He has five total touchdowns in two games. He’s run 26 times for 122 yards. He’s on pace for almost 1,000 rushing yards and 32 (!) rushing touchdowns.
The Patriots lost Sunday night to the Seattle Seahawks. But Newton slung the ball for 397 yards while completing 68.2 percent of his passes. He accounted for 444 of the Patriots’ 464 total net yards. That’s ridiculous. That’s Superman.
“I think his resume speaks for itself," Patriots defensive captain Devin McCourty said Sunday night. "I think the best part is we just started to jell. I think we knew him and what he could do, just like he knew from playing us over the years that we’ve got competitors out there. We have to stick together and just keep working. We’re on the right path, we’re doing the right things, just fell short today.”
And it’s amazing how quickly people forgot about Newton, who missed most of the 2019 season after getting injured during the preseason against, of all teams, the Patriots. But Newton had one of his best seasons as a pure passer in 2018, when he completed 67.9 percent (a career high) of his throws. He was no slouch with his legs that season, rushing 101 times for 488 yards with four touchdowns.
What’s perhaps most confusing is that NFL teams are looking for quarterbacks who play exactly like Cam Newton. While everyone was searching for the “next Lamar Jackson,” the previous model was sitting in free agency. Waiting. Eventually taking a $1.05 million salary from the Patriots with incentives that still keep the deal below $6 million.
New Englanders are about as negative as any region’s fan base in the country. When the Patriots win, some fans only want to talk about the team's weaknesses in fear that they'll creep up again against a better opponent. There was a good degree of optimism after the Patriots’ 35-30 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, and it was because of Newton.
He proved he could still run in Week 1. He showed he can still pass with the best quarterbacks in the NFL on Sunday.
