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With quarterback Jarrett Stidham taking over in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s difficult game against the San Francisco 49ers, that concluded another difficult day from Cam Newton. He had one of his toughest days as a member of the New England Patriots.
His continued struggles are putting his job security in danger, even though Belichick said he is “absolutely” the starter going forward. Newton’s performance speaks for itself — and it contradicts Belichick.
Newton recorded 98 passing yards and three interceptions, while the Patriots only managed six points on the board at the time of his benching. Looking indecisive, Newton struggled to make anything happen. Many of his reads were check downs, and any deep pass he threw seemed to be either too high or too low.
After performing well against the likes of the Miami Dolphins and Seattle Seahawks, many thought that Newton may have returned to his MVP-like form. However, he has struggled enormously since his Week 3 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders, when New England eked out a win. This was an abysmal performance, and it raises more questions than answers about the direction of the New England offense.
No longer can the Patriots go into the game with confidence that Newton will be able to offer stability. Now, the position itself is extremely murky. Jarrett Stidham, who took over for Newton in the fourth quarter, didn’t look much better, with an interception of his own.
As far as Newton’s job security is concerned, he is on the hot seat. Belichick can say whatever he likes. It would be one thing if Newton had a bad game, and that was it. However, he seems to be trending in a downward direction, and he’s bring the offense with him. That is certainly not a good thing for a Patriots organization looking for stability in the post-Tom Brady era.
As for right now, the quarterback position is wide open.
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