Armando Salguero
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The New England Patriots were going to be Mac Jones’s team eventually. Everybody who watched the rookie quarterback play this preseason and push incumbent starter Cam Newton at every turn saw that.
Coach Bill Belichick obviously saw it, too. But from his perspective it was better not to wait for “eventually” to come around. So he simply ripped the band aid off the scab.
Belichick released Newton on Tuesday.
Mac Jones is the Patriots’ new starting quarterback.
And at first blush, this move seems like typical Belichick skullduggery. He head fakes one way and goes the other.
He said at the start of training camp that Newton “is our starter.” And at every practice Newton was present, he worked with the team’s first-team offense. Newton was also the starter in all three preseason games.
And even as Newton played well and Jones played perhaps a little better, Belichick never gave the nod to one or the other — until the moment he turned his offense over to his first-round rookie quarterback.
But what people simply cannot comprehend is that this move is just Belichick being Belichick. He saw a better performance from one player over another, and disregarding vaccinations, experience and locker room status, the coach went with the better performer.
He did that in 2001 when relative unknown Tom Brady continued to play ahead of a recovered veteran Drew Bledsoe. Why? Because Brady was playing well, and the team was winning more with him than it had with Bledsoe.
Well this preseason, Jones was better than Newton. That simple.
Newton was good. But Jones was better.
These are the results Jones put on tape this preseason:
— In the first game, he led three drives, two for touchdowns and another for a field goal.
— In the second game, he led three drives, all three for touchdowns.
— In the third game, he led two drives, both for field goals.
The Patriots scored five touchdowns and three field goals on eight Mac Jones drives this preseason.
Jones had a 92.2 grade from ProFootballFocus.com this summer. That was the highest grade of any QB with a minimum 40 dropbacks this preseason.
That was also the highest preseason QB grade for a rookie PFF has ever given — even higher than the 91.8 Patrick Mahomes got in 2017.
Results matter to Bill Belichick.
Fine, so why wouldn’t Belichick keep Newton as the backup instead of defaulting to Brian Hoyer, who is a solid backup but nonetheless an inferior player to Newton?
First, it’s not known right now whether Newton requested his release so he could possibly start elsewhere — maybe in Washington for his former coach Ron Rivera.
Secondly, neither Newton’s command of the locker room nor his vaccination status can be dismissed. Newton is an unimpeachable leader, and players in that New England locker room see him as such. Having him as a backup seems nice in a vacuum, but it would cast a shadow over Jones.
And though Newton is unvaccinated, the hard truth of the NFL COVID protocols is that vaccinated players are forced to meet more stringent guidelines to remain available week to week.
Don’t feel sorry for Newton.
“I really appreciate all the love and support during this time but I must say … Please don’t feel sorry for me. #Imgood,” Newton posted on Instagram.
So what does this all mean going into the regular-season opener against Miami at New England on Sept. 12?
Well, it’ll be Mac Jones vs. Tua Tagovailoa.
And please forget the build-up about the last two national championship winning quarterbacks from Alabama facing off. Yeah, that’s fun hype stuff. But it’s not real.
What these guys accomplished at Alabama won’t factor in this game. What matters is the Patriots will be facing Tagovailoa, a quarterback they believe they can rattle and chase with their pass rush and disguised coverages. And the Dolphins will be facing Jones, a quarterback they believe they can rattle and chase with their pass rush and disguised coverages.
Neither coach will admit to that, of course.
“I have a great deal of respect for him,” Dolphins coach Brian Flores said of Jones on Tuesday. “If he’s earned the respect of Bill Belichick and (New England offensive coordinator) Josh McDaniels, he has my respect.
“But this is not the Dolphins against Mac Jones; this is the Dolphins against the Patriots. They have a lot of good players and a lot of good coaches over there. But with respect to Mac Jones, he’s a good young talent and we’ll have a hands full with him.”
This matchup will obviously be about which quarterback gets the most help from his defense. And his offensive line. And his running game.
And which quarterback avoids passes to Miami’s Xavien Howard and New England’s J.C. Jackson — the NFL’s top two interceptions leaders in 2020.
Lmfao where is Ball is life to call Bellichick a racist just waiting….
What? This is sports. That MAGA shit don’t work in the sports world because you actually have to come out on the field and face the people you are talking about. Ergo…Lack of conservatives playing football. Physical sports separate the MEN from the boys.
Congrats Mac Jones…Week one will be great
DOLPHINS VS PATRIOTS…2 Bama QB’s going at it….Damn I love sports #ForTheCause #BallDontLie
Lack of conservatives playing football……LOL you are literally completely insane with this political tribalism.
That what you get for talking that big mouth white boy shit. That crap doesn’t play in the sports world because you eventually have to walk out on the field. And guess who waiting for you. The people you are talking about.. Choose but choose wisely…
Well considering I was the only white kid on my basketball team all four years in high school and started I am well aware of how that works. I’m sure there were a lot of white boys in your past who beat you out for spots just like me and that’s where a lot of this racialized animosity you have comes from. I would absolutely wax the floor with your ass on the hardwood my guy.
Aren’t you both saying that there are no excuses in sports – whoever man’s up and performs better on the field wins?
Haha, “Ergo”. That must be one of the big words they taught Mason at HBCU. Those there that graduate summa cum laude read at a 5th grade level.
Queue up the ESPN race baiting in 4..3..2…
His team is majority black guys. If it was racist they wouldn’t play and you wouldn’t have a team. MAGA athletes aren’t taking over sports. Just stop and go take another horse or cattle pill
everyone is wacist except for ball don’t lie LMFAO
I can only imagine the huge pussy mason is in real life.
Bitching crybaby who talks shit and sucker punches someone but will run away when confronted. Yup, BLM privilege checks out.
The best part is he gives Clay Travis his hard earned money every month to try and be some weird activist in the comments here and does absolutely nothing to change the content…but help make the people he claims to despise even more wealthy.
Yeah because we all know guys like you are known for having great boxing skills? Just stop….We know the truth …. It’s 2021 not 1921. You don’t have the same protections.
Who asserted “MAGA” was taking over sports?
Your reading comprehension and ability to articulate and argument is very low my good man. Perhaps that could be attributed to HBCU education, but I’m also learning towards you’re just an idiot
Also, to apply your logic, I take it since your athletic has ended it’s because you were to weak for the “MAGA” white boys, or your home boys considered you a liability on the field.
Don’t try to reason with the retard.
I agree Chris. Unfortunately, a large percentage of the population thinks along the lines of this moron.
It will be interesting. BB knows the Miami defense because it is essentially the defense that he had when he won the 2018 SB against the Rams.
The fact that he is starting a rookie against it shows his confidence in Jones.
BB has had a lot of success against Rookie QB. However Tua was able to squeeze a win against him last year and it would be interesting to see what changes BB makes. He won’t have Gilmore but will have Van Noy and a couple of the players who took the year off last year.
Interested to see how the Dolphins use Waddle. BB is probably ready for screens as Miami used in the Atlanta game. I would not be surprised to see Waddle go deep in the 1st series if NE comes out in cover 1.
Jason Whitlock had a good take on Cam. He said because he’s always been the biggest and best natural athlete he never had to work on all the little things that make great QBs great. He relied on his natural athleticism to carry him. When his body started breaking down it left him relying on all the passing skills he had developed… which turned out to be very limited.
I am looking at Cam’s career grades in PFF and there is a lot on what Whtitlock said.
Cam Newton started his career in 2011. Had a PFF passing grade of 65.1 which ranked 21/40 QB who took at least 140 snaps.
His best year was 2015 when his 84.7 grade ranked 5th. He got hurt soon after and never played been the same.
He had some decent offensive co-ordinators (Chudzinki, Mike Shula, Norv Turner) so it is surprising that he did not get better.
I always enjoyed seeing him play and hope he gets another chance.
I think he will get a second chance. Maybe with the Redskins and Riverboat Ron
Ron passed on Cam before. Washington needed a QB last year when Cam signed with NE for basically a minimum contract. Combine that with the fact that Rivera is a big pusher for the vaccine and it would be very surprising if he lands in Washington. Maybe Houston will sign him, or maybe he will have to be a backup (with a chance to replace the starter) in a place like New Orleans, Denver, or Minnesota (although they already have one unvaccinated QB to deal with). Maybe even Dallas would give him a chance if Dak is in doubt.
Lmfaooo he more then just passed on Cam he signed his 5th round Backup instead of Cam. That shows you how much he thinks of what A) Cam has left in the tank and B) His character.
Stop making suggestions for my favorite team that you give absolutely zero fucks about. Go watch some old And 1 Mixtape tour highlights or some shit.
I will only engage and address you with the stereotypes you perpetuate on here from now on since you seem to thrive in that environment LOLLLL.
Another chance with who?
Shouldn’t you mean the Washington Football Team?
This move come as no surprise. Mac fits that New England system perfect. I was hoping the Steelers would draft him.