Critics of Cam Newton continue to obscure the fact that Newton had a better completion percentage (aka accuracy percentage) last season, with no one to throw to, than Tom Brady did with all his weapons.
Newton’s completion percentage was 65.8 percent in 2020. Tom Brady’s was 65.7 percent. That’s right, Cam Newton’s completion percentage was better by a bit than the Super-Bowl-winning quarterback Brady in the 2020 regular season.
And that was with one of the worst receiving corps and almost certainly the worst tight end complement in the league.
What’s so difficult to understand about that? Nothing. Yet, spurious criticism of Newton continues, notwithstanding that he was thrown to the wolves by GM Bill Belichick with his poor personnel decision-making in 2020.
More from Chowder and Champions
- 3 Midseason Chaim Bloom Decisions That Have Killed the 2023 Red Sox
- 10 Patriots Who Will Be Cut by Tuesday’s Roster Deadline
- MLB Screws Red Sox Fans With Broadcast for Mookie Betts Return
- 3 Most Underpaid Celtics Heading Into the 2023 Season
- Red Sox Continue Rollercoaster Season With Massive Win
Belichick provided Newton with almost no support in the offensive skill positions last year. And after the injury to Julian Edelman, it was a hopeless situation.
If you haven’t noticed the acknowledgment of the Patriots’ offensive deficiencies in 2020 by the Patriots majordomo, just take a gander at his recent free agency moves. He paid heavily for two wide receivers and even more for two top ends to-date.
And the tight end acquisitions took place despite drafting two third-round tight ends in the 2020 draft as nicely pointed out on Skip and Shannon UNDISPUTED by Shannon Sharpe on March 18, 2021. And Belichick might not be done yet in free agency.
So the GOAT of all coaches has acknowledged by his current actions that he erred by not providing Cam Newton with much of anything in 2020 to help him be successful.
In addition, let’s also keep firmly in mind that Cam Newton also contracted Covid-19 during last season. Cam Newton is no excuse-maker.
So, who actually knows how severely that terrible illness really impacted him the rest of the season? Not the media, for sure. Its impacts seem to differ for each individual.
And his illness was in a first season in New England where there was a limited preseason while he was trying to adapt to a completely new offensive system. Yet, some in the media just can’t seem to cut him any slack.
The New England Patriots receiving statistics versus the Super Bowl Champions
A previous article explained why re-signing Cam Newton would be a good decision. Once again, let’s put some pertinent facts on the table.
Newton’s completion percentage was 65.8 percent in 2020. Tom Brady’s was 65.7 percent. Usually, the completion percentage is a good indication of the performance of a quarterback.
And that was largely without Julian Edelman who caught a meager 21 passes before going out for the year with an injury. Edelman caught 100 the prior year you may recall.
Low completion percentage usually equals poor results. A good completion percentage mostly equals good or very good results on offense depending on what happens with the pigskin after the receiver hauls it in.
It doesn’t seem like rocket science to understand the principle. Yet, Newton defied this logic by having a solid completion percentage without great results. The answer to this contradiction lies totally on the receiving end.
Yet media observers, including some of the very best, continue with commentary panning Newton’s performance last season based on his touchdowns and interceptions and his lack of throwing yardage. Let’s again compare what he had at his disposal with what Brady had.
Brady had a top complement of people in his offense to catch the ball. They included Rob Gronkowski, Mike Evans, and Chris Godwin, each of whom was better than any Patriots receiver or tight end. Again, I’ll remind you of the stats.
Brady had three wide receivers with 45 or more catches and his wide receivers caught 29 touchdown passes. Newton had two wide receivers with more than 45 catches and his wideouts totaled 4 TD passes.
Brady’s tight ends caught 84 passes with 11 TD catches. Newton’s tight ends had 18 catches and one touchdown. So combined, Brady’s wideouts and tight ends had 40 touchdowns. Newton’s had five.
Keep those stats in mind when seeking to compare the two last season. Yet remember, those statistics notwithstanding, Newton had a better completion percentage than Brady.
Clearly, any attempt to blame Cam Newton for the woes of the passing offense and the demise of the 2020 New England Patriots is specious, at best.
The New England Patriots are fortunate to have Cam Newton back
Some media commentators cast aside certain facts, and cherry-pick their preferred statistics to obscure the true reason for the Patriots’ poor offensive performance in 2020.
What these commentaries represent is an attempt to disparage Newton, for whatever reason. They downplay the performance of the former NFL MVP who did absolutely everything he could to rescue a moribund New England Patriots offense in 2020.
He ran and scored more touchdowns than any of his teammates. 12 touchdowns himself. He threw accurately to a bevy of poor targets. Newton put himself physically on the line all season long.
He had to scramble for his life too many times behind a porous offensive line that too often left him on his own with little time to throw to receivers who were seldom open. And he led by example and leadership and never put any blame on anyone, except perhaps himself.
That’s the real story of Cam Newton and the New England Patriots offense in 2020. And if you don’t believe this writer, deign to ask Bill Belichick.
Ask him why he signed two new receivers and brought in two top tight ends in free agency, all for big money, while simultaneously bringing back Cam Newton to run his offense again this season?
With his offseason moves on offense (and they are likely not finished yet), the GOAT of all coaches seems to agree that it wasn’t Cam Newton who was the issue on offense at all. Makes perfect sense.