09-05-2021 Ravens Preview - Flipbook - Page 10
NFL2021
10
NEW ENGLAND
PATRIOTS
COACH
Bill Belichick (22nd season with team, 274-103)
LAST SEASON
7-9 (3rd in AFC East; no playoffs)
Record since 2011: 118-42 (16-6 in playoffs)
2020 TEAM STATISTICAL LEAGUE RANKINGS
2020 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICAL LEADERS
SCORING OFFENSE
27th of 32 (20.4 ppg)
RUSHING
Damien Harris: 137 carries, 691 yards, 2 TDs, 69.1 ypg
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SCORING DEFENSE
7th of 32 (22.1 ppg)
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RUSHING OFFENSE
4th of 32 (146.6 ypg)
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PASSING OFFENSE
30th of 32 (180.6 ypg)
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PASSING
Cam Newton: 242-368, 2,657 yards, 8 TDs, 10 ints, 218.9 ypg
SCORING
Nick Folk, PK: 108 points (26 FGs, 30 PATs, 6.8 ppg)
Stats from pro-football-reference.com
In it together
Is a quarterback platoon out of the question?
By Karen Guregian
Boston Herald
T
wo different quarterbacks. Two
different offensive styles. And after
two preseason games, still no clearcut winner for the Patriots’ top job.
In a nutshell, that describes what’s played
out for Bill Belichick at his most important
position.
Both Cam Newton and Mac Jones made
the most of their opportunities in the rout of
the Eagles on Thursday night.
Newton, the expected Week 1 starter,
is the established veteran with Jones the
up-and-coming rookie.
Even though Newton hasn’t put his
wheels to much use just yet, he falls into
the mode of the new age quarterback. He’s
mobile, and his threat to run is perfectly
suited to an option-style offense.
Jones is the classic pocket passer in the
Tom Brady mold. With his quick reads and
quick release, he’s a perfect fit for the offense
that was established with Brady at the helm
the past two decades.
Both quarterbacks, with their respective
styles, also fit well with the players assembled around them.
Based on two dozen practices and two
preseason games, Jones has a slight edge;
just based on how good he looks operating
the traditional Josh McDaniels’ offense. In a
timing attack that’s predicated on precision
and accuracy, Jones looks the part.
Newton, meanwhile, looked the best he’s
ever looked in the Patriots offense Thursday
night. He’s still holding off Jones, and we’ve
yet to see much of the read-option looks that
will be a part of the equation if he starts.
In a perfect world, one of them would be
the clear and obvious choice — much like
Brady was year after year — and the Patriots would just move on with whatever style
offense suited that quarterback.
At this point, the feeling is Newton will
start, with no guarantees of how long he’ll
keep the job. He’d basically be a placeholder
until Belichick was comfortable that Jones
was ready to assume the mantle.
Another solution being floated around?
Let them both play.
Utilize a two-quarterback system or
platoon, similar to what New Orleans used
with Drew Brees and Taysom Hill.
My view?
While I’m usually a fan of outside-the-box
thinking and innovation, I’m not sure this
scenario would work in New England. First
off, the most effective use of both would be to
have the better passer — Jones — in the Brees
role, with Newton in the Hill role, coming
on situationally almost as a change-up, most
often in the red zone.
Patriots’ quarterback Cam Newton calls a play during a preseason game against the Eagles on
Aug. 19 in Philadelphia. RICH SCHULTZ/AP
2021 SCHEDULE WEEK 14 BYE
WEEK 1
Sept. 12
WEEK 2
Sept. 19
WEEK 3
Sept. 26
WEEK 4
Oct. 3
WEEK 5
Oct. 10
WEEK 6
Oct. 17
WEEK 7
Oct. 24
WEEK 8
Oct. 31
WEEK 9
Nov. 7
WEEK 10
Nov. 14
WEEK 11
Nov. 18
WEEK 12
Nov. 28
WEEK 13
Dec. 6
WEEK 15
TBD
WEEK 16
Dec. 26
WEEK 17
Jan. 2
WEEK 18
Jan. 9
MIA
4:25 p.m.
CBS
@NYJ
1 p.m.
CBS
NO
1 p.m.
CBS
TB
8:20 p.m.
NBC
@HOU
1 p.m.
CBS
DAL
4:25 p.m.
CBS
NYJ
1 p.m.
CBS
@LAC
4:05 p.m.
CBS
@CAR
1 p.m.
CBS
CLE
1 p.m.
CBS
@ATL
8:20 p.m.
FOX
TEN
1 p.m.
CBS
@BUF
8:15 p.m.
ESPN
@IND
TBD
TBD
BUF
1 p.m.
CBS
JAX
1 p.m.
CBS
@MIA
1 p.m.
CBS
Note: This section was printed before final roster cuts, so personnel are subject to change; all times are Eastern and subject to change