Bedard: This is rock-bottom, but season still there for Patriots - if they can fix Cam Newton taken at Gillette Stadium (Patriots)

(Adam Richins for BSJ)

Patriots

Bedard: This is rock-bottom, but season still there for Patriots - if they can fix Cam Newton

By Greg A. Bedard

Oct 26, 2020 • 12:36 am

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This is completely foreign territory for Patriots fans in more ways than one.

Sunday's embarrassing 33-6 loss to the 49ers was the worst home loss in Bill Belichick's tenure.

They've scored 28 points in three games, and haven't had this much offensive futility in three straight games in the same year since Scott Zolak was backing up a young Drew Bledsoe in 1995.

The Patriots' defense only forced six third downs in the first three quarters as the 49ers had three straight touchdown drives — besides an end-of-the-half possession.

The Patriots are 2.5 games behind the Bills in the AFC East — their worst mark this late since Belichick's first season in 2000.

The Patriots were completely and utterly inept. New England sports fans are very patient and completely rational, so naturally they are up for bailing on this season, questioning Belichick's genius bonafides, trading everything that's not bolted down inside One Patriot Place and building for the future.

There is anger. There is disbelief. There is embarrassment.

And, of course, seeing Tom Brady throw four touchdowns on Sunday to boost the Bucs to a 5-2 record — he now has 18 TDs vs. 4 INTs, while the Patriots have 3 TDs and 11 INTs (the worst marks in the league) — pours a commercial-sized bag of salt on this festering wound.

All of that is valid and factual.

But here's the thing, and it's also an indisputable fact: If the Patriots somehow get this jalopy moving in the right direction and defeat the Bills in Buffalo on Sunday, none of what has transpired will matter.

A win in Buffalo would still mean:


  • The Patriots' are the Bills' daddy;

  • Sean McDermott continues to lose his mind when Belichick is on the other sideline;

  • Josh Allen continues to channel his inner Brian Hoyer at the worst times;

  • And, more importantly, it would mean the Patriots would be one game in the loss column behind the Bills with a home rematch in Week 16 looming — and still have everything to play for in a wide-open AFC.


(Olindo Longo for BSJ)


Derek Carr




Josh McDaniels
Jedd Fisch
Cam Newton


Jarrett
Stidham








2ND & 5 AT NE 29(09:26)

(No Huddle) C.Newton pass short left to N.Harry to NE 35 for 6 yards (J.Verrett, A.Al-Shaair). SF-J.Verrett was injured during the play.


N'Keal Harry
Jason Verrett


Julian
Edelman
Ryan
Izzo
Jakob
Johnson


This was a QB not running the play to its fullest.


2ND & 8 AT NE 37(08:36)

(8:36) (Shotgun) C.Newton scrambles right end pushed ob at NE 41 for 4 yards (M.Harris).




This was a QB with little confidence to hang with the play and one that was not seeing the field clearly.


3RD & 4 AT NE 41(07:56)

(7:56) (Shotgun) C.Newton pass short left to J.White to NE 44 for 3 yards (T.Moore)




This was a QB not anticipating the coverage nor having confidence in where is outlet would be.


(Adam Richins for BSJ)


1ST & 10 AT NE 48(02:02)

(2:02) C.Newton pass incomplete deep left to D.Byrd [D.Jordan]. PENALTY on SF-D.Jordan, Roughing the Passer, 15 yards, enforced at NE 48 - No Play


Damiere
Byrd


This was a QB with inconsistent fundamentals.


3RD & 6 AT SF 22(00:06)

(:06) (Shotgun) C.Newton pass incomplete short middle to N.Harry (T.Moore). NE-N.Harry was injured during the play. He is Out.


Michael Onwenu, James White
Isaiah
Wynn


This was the Patriots' grenade offense — a drive-killing explosion going off in a different part of the field every two or three plays — at work. That's where they are right now, and they've been here before in previous seasons.


1ST & 10 AT NE 27(08:55)

(8:55) C.Newton pass short left intended for J.Meyers INTERCEPTED by F.Warner at NE 41. F.Warner to NE 38 for 3 yards (J.Meyers)




This was a veteran QB making a basic and huge mental error.




2ND & 7 AT NE 35(05:39)

(5:39) C.Newton pass short left to J.Johnson to NE 36 for 1 yard (A.Al-Shaair; J.Kinlaw). FUMBLES (A.Al-Shaair), recovered by NE-I.Wynn at NE 38




This was a double grenade offense.


3RD & 4 AT NE 38(04:53)

(4:53) (Shotgun) C.Newton pass incomplete short left to D.Byrd.






This was a QB who is way too inconsistent with his mechanics to execute a precision offense with any regularity.


1ST & 10 AT NE 38(00:36)

(:36) (Shotgun) C.Newton pass deep middle intended for J.Meyers INTERCEPTED by E.Moseley at SF 4. E.Moseley to NE 45 for 51 yards (D.Keene)


Tarvarius
Moore






This was a QB who doesn't understand the play that's being called


(Adam Richins for BSJ)

__________________


Quite frankly, I'm not sure what McDaniels and Fisch should do. Newton at this point is all in his head and has very little confidence in what he's doing.














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