Captain_Caveman wrote:soxfan2003 wrote:I really don't think Cam has been awful this year overall even though his passing stats are obviously very bad. He often partially makes up for it with his running. But at this point it is fair to say Cam's upside is limited. Even if he understands the offense a little more, he is unlikely to become that much more confident in terms of quick decisions and making throws in that situation.
I would try Stidham in this game. Made this post 60 seconds before they made the change but wanted to wait to send it to see what BB would do.
Been watching this team since the late 1970s, and Cam is easily the worst QB I have seen beyond guys in spot duty.
There is no defending this dude at this point. Weird that people would even try.
I only defend Cam Newton for the same reason I defended Antoine Walker in the early 2000's. It is always best to accurately rate players so the team as a whole can be better assessed. I never felt Walker was one of the best 25 players in the NBA but I defended him vs some people saying that he absolutely sucked and was a negative on the court. But I think Cam has been a net positive this year compared to the level of QB play I was expecting before he was signed. If Patriots had signed Newton for 15-20 million in a one year deal, I would have opposed it but for peanuts, I saw little wrong with it. Yes, it hurts the Patriots draft position in each round of the draft but should help in free agency.
Team would probably have 2 more wins without the Covid opt outs and coronavirus. That isn't excuse making but just a reality check on how good Hightower has been and the importance of depth. So, instead of 6-6 with Cam and 0-1 without him, may 8-5 right now and perhaps 10-6 overall.
I have been watching and listening since the 70's as well. In my case, late 70's Some games I only heard on radio. Big fan of Steve Grogan's toughness -- he had injuries everywhere -- but Cam Newton overall this year has been way better and not just a little bit better than Grogran was his last few years with the Patriots as someone who still ended up starting a handful of games each season. Neither could throw the ball that well compared to their peers but Cam operating with less and Cam can still run the ball. Grogan in the end was a shell of himself.
I have a bias against Tony Eason but he was (usually) better than this version of Cam Newton. I am one of the last people to accuse a QB of lacking toughness but one Eason play still upsets me. On a 4th down with the season in the balance, Eason took a sack in a game by protecting himself instead of at least chucking the ball up for grabs.
70's and early 80's Grogan was better.
Hugh Millen wasn't as good.
Matt Cavanaugh wasn't as good either.
Thing about the last 80's and early 90's is the Patriots often really had poor QB play and not just a little bit below average for a starter like Cam Newton has been after you factor in Cam's ability to run the ball. Sometimes the teams were truly awful I still watched.
For a number 1 overall pick, Irving Fryar was somewhat of a disappointment for his NFL career. You can keep his cocaine habit the same and the guy probably ends up with 2500+ more yards if he spent his best years on teams with better QB's. Fryar could really block.
Maybe my age is getting to me but Irving Fryar at his best in New England, was probably better than anyone on this team including this years version of Gilmore. Made 4 Pro Bowls after leaving the Patriots despite being an older player at that time so only one with them but was at his athletic best on the Patriots. He did drop a few more balls than I would like.
Grogan in his prime did have a great offensive line and Stanley Morgan. I don't think Grogan was ever that accurate of a passer compared to his peers but he could run -- good at naked bootlegs -- and had better command of the offense than Cam.