Heading into the 2020 season, the New England Patriots are entering the campaign with a different feel in more ways than one. Offensively, the organization will have an entirely new look, likely with Cam Newton at the helm. Defensively, things will remain the same. All in all, there are still questions to be had about both sides of the ball.
With the Patriots facing a difficult schedule next season, they will certainly be challenged in all aspects. With the AFC East getting stronger, this could be the first year in quite some time that they will face stiff competition. It should make for an interesting season as everybody will have to adapt to the changing landscape of the organization.
I take a look at five burning questions for the Patriots in 2020.
Will Cam Newton be able to shake off his rust?
With the Patriots bringing in Newton, there is a question as to whether he will be able to shake off his rust from not playing in quite some time.
The last game that Newton played in was against Tampa Bay in Week 2 of the 2019 season. In that contest, he went 25-of-51 on the afternoon, throwing for 333 yards on the day. After that, the Panthers shut down for the season.
The Patriots have seen firsthand what type of quarterback Newton can be when he is healthy. He’s 2-0 against Bill Belichick while completing 72% of his passes for 525 yards, six touchdowns and one interception. He also rushed for 106 more yards and a touchdown in those two games.
However, he has now had foot and shoulder problems since the last time the Patriots faced the Panthers. Newton certainly has a plethora of injuries in addition to his rust from not playing since last September. Will he be able to shake it off? That’s perhaps the biggest question on this list, especially if New England wants to beat out Jarrett Stidham in a quarterback competition.