The New England Patriots got their first look at new starting quarterback Cam Newton in Week 1 against the Miami Dolphins. It was a long time coming after Newton was signed in the offseason and proceeded to win the starting job over Jarrett Stidham. He was able to lead the Patriots to a 21-11 win over the Dolphins in his debut with his new team.
Obviously, the final score shows that this was not a pretty game on either side. Both the Patriots and Dolphins had issues and those issues will need to get ironed out as soon as possible. New England didn't do enough to prove that they are contenders in the AFC once again this season, but they have the potential to get to that point.
Newton put together a solid performance for the Patriots. He ended up completing 15 of his 19 pass attempts for 155 yards, no touchdowns, and no interceptions. However, the performance that he put on with his legs was impressive.
He racked up 75 yards and two touchdowns on the ground in Week 1. Those numbers showed that he is healthy again and capable of being a lethal dual-threat quarterback.
Bill Belichick has never had a quarterback with the athletic ability that Newton possesses. Tom Brady was a great arm, but he never had an elite pair of legs. Newton, on the other hand, proved in Week 1 that the Patriots will be able to rely on him.
Aside from the numbers that Newton put up, he looked good on the field. There were no signs of lingering issues and it is finally clear that he is healthy and ready to get his career back on track. Newton has always been an entertainer and that will be the case once again with the Patriots.
New England will need to figure out how to help Newton be more successful through the air. Thankfully, Josh McDaniels and Belichick are very creative when trying to get the most out of their players. It would be reasonable to expect the Patriots to try to get more out of the passing game in Week 2 against the Seattle Seahawks.
From a leadership perspective, Newton had full control of the offense. There seemed to be some issues with chemistry, but it was nothing to be concerned about. The switch from Brady to Newton is going to be relatively smooth.
Will Newton end up being an MVP candidate this season? Probably not. But, he absolutely can be a quarterback that put up great numbers through the air and on the ground and help lead the Patriots back to the playoffs.
It will be interesting to see how Newton plays as he gets more comfortable in New England. The franchise should be very happy with what they saw in Week 1. He seems to be in a great place and his future should be bright with the Patriots.
Expect to see Newton and the Patriots come out strong next week against the Seahawks. Beating Seattle is never an easy task, but hopefully Newton can put on a vintage performance and lead his new team to a 2-0 record.
Cam Newton's Grade For Week 1 Against The Dolphins: B+
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