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The New England Patriots opened a new era in their history books with a resounding 21-11 win against division rival Miami Dolphins. Their newest quarterback in Cam Newton was the catalyst of the team's offense and set the tone right from the get-go.
The 2015 NFL MVP also put on a rushing exhibition as he ran the ball for a total of 15 times during the game. Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels said that number of Newton’s runs could have been handoffs had the Miami defense given him different looks.
He will be at the forefront of ensuring that their offense won't be too predictable for their upcoming opponents:
“I don’t know that any one thing, if you do it over and over and over, is sustainable in our league,” he said, via Karen Guregian of the Boston Herald. “The coaches and the players each week are too good. I’ve called 60 passes. Believe me, I don’t want to live in that world too long, or you’re going to get in trouble, whether it’s injuries, or the success you have is going to deteriorate, or too much of this or that, depending on what it is, and you’re going to become too predictable.”
Despite the pressure to fill in the shoes left by Tom Brady, Cam Newton focused on playing in the way he knew best. His ground game led him to 75 total rushing yards on 15 carries and 2 scored touchdowns. Apart from rushing the ball, the three-time Pro Bowler also threw accurately on a 15-of-19 clip for 155 passing yards.
Being dependent on the rushing game will not be sustainable for Newton in the long run especially if they find themselves entering the playoff picture. At the end of the day, both McDaniels and head coach Bill Belichick will utilize the offensive schemes that will give them the best chances of winning in their coming games.
