New England Patriots: 5 key players to watch in AFC East battle vs Miami

Cam Newton is due for a monster game

Is Cam Newton still capable of impacting a football game?

With Damien Harris out, it could be one of those games Newton will have to win with both his feet and his arm.

The New England Patriots quarterback did have success against the Miami Dolphins defense in the Week 1 matchup.

In that game, Newton rushed the ball for 75 yards on 15 attempts with two touchdowns, while throwing the ball for 155 yards with a 78.95 percent completion percentage.  He was classic Cam Newton in that game, but there hasn’t been many of those games since.

With just three games left in the season and the team righting for their playoff lives, look for Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels to open things up both with designed runs for Cam and allowing him to get the ball down field with his arm.

Dolphins head coach Brian Flores expects a dangerous Newton in this game and certainly hasn’t written off his ability.

"“I think he’s a very good player in this league,” Flores said Wednesday.  “I think he does a really good job extending plays.  I think his ability to scramble is something that you always have to take into consideration on every snap.  I think he’s a leader.  I think he’s a problem, so we’ve got to do a good job from a pass rush standpoint, try to keep him in the pocket, not let him extend plays and allow his receivers more time to get open.”"

The New England Patriots having a chance to win this game does come down to the quarterback.  If Cam Newton is the Cam he can be and stay away from turning the ball over, the team will be in a good position to get that record back to 7-7 with a slim chance at the playoffs.