From a very small sample size, it looks as if Cam Newton is officially back.
The 31-year-old dealt with injuries over the past two seasons and it overshadowed the fact he’s a former NFL MVP who’s one of the most dominant players on the field. Newton imposes his will when running the ball and defensive players struggle to take him down with initial contact.
Newton rushed 15 times for 75 yards and two touchdowns on the ground in a 21-11 win against the Miami Dolphins in Week 1. He led all rushers in carries, yards and touchdowns, as he collected the accolade of most rushing touchdowns (60) by a quarterback in NFL history.
With his injury history, is this a sustainable approach for the Patriots? While joining WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show” on Friday morning, Julian Edelman says he trusts the coaching staff and doesn’t think Newton will be put in situations he can’t handle.
“I think our coaching staff is going to do the best they can to put him in the best situation to go out and help lead this team, and lead this offense whether that’s running, throwing, that’s up to Coach [Josh] McDaniels,” Edelman said. “Cam is a big man. He plays smart. If you really watch, he didn’t take any crazy hits. He looks like a really fast defensive end, guys are like bouncing off of him.
“I am just kind of worried about what I have to do to go out and perform for him and the offense. I’m sure the coaching staff will be thinking of those things. He is a start football. I am sure he will take care of himself when it comes to those things.”
With the lack of firepower at receiver, it’ll be in New England’s best interest to keep Newton going on the ground. It’s just a high-risk, high-reward situation for a quarterback who’s dealt with two major injuries recently.
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