Patriots Bench Cam Newton, Bring Jarrett Stidham In Against Bills

The New England Patriots have benched starting quarterback Cam Newton in favor of backup Jarrett Stidham. The move came midway through the third quarter.

New England is currently losing to the Buffalo Bills 31-9, and Newton has been ineffective through two and a half quarters. So far, he's 5-of-10 for 34 yards, which is good for only 3.4 yards per attempt.

Once again, his only success has come with his legs. He's carried the ball four times for 24 yards and a touchdown. Coming into the Monday night showdown, Newton averaged only 183.2 yards through the air with only five passing touchdowns. He has, however, rushed for 12.

Newton's days as a starting quarterback in the NFL may be over. With that being said, Stidham's early numbers (2-of-5, 28 yards, 5.6-yard average) are not overly inspiring.

Follow Clint Lamb on Twitter @ClintRLamb.