FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The New England Patriots were playing the rope on Sunday against the New York Jets, so why not empty your bag of tricks?
With 14-7 at the end of the third quarter on the Jets’ 19-yard line, offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels called for trickery. Quarterback Cam Newton gave up on the shotgun Sony Michel back team, as Michel was coming from right to left. At the same time, receiver Jakobi Meyers was on the move, coming from left to right and ready for Michel’s side.
The Jets chased the ball aggressively, forgetting Newton, who launched from the right. This allowed Meyers to put his feet on the 30-yard line and deliver a smooth, high-touch pass to Newton on the 8-yard line.
Newton basically entered the end zone from there.
CAM NEWTON RECEIVING TOUCHDOWN 🚨 #GoPats
📺: #NYJvsNE at CBS
📱: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app: https://t.co/EMdqIO97si pic.twitter.com/bUn3amHYn9– NFL (@NFL) January 3, 2021
Meyers, of course, was a quarterback at Arabia Mountain High School in Georgia, and was released from that position at NC State before switching to receiving as a freshman. He makes 2 in 2 in 43 yards of passes this season and, although he did not receive a touchdown pass, he launched for two.
Meyers ‘touchdown pass had an air distance of 31.3 yards, according to the NFL Next Gen Stats, as he has two of the Patriots’ four longest pass passes in terms of air yards this season.
For Newton, it is the first touchdown of his career. Coming in on Sunday, he had two career receptions for 43 yards. He had one in Tampa Bay on December 4, 2011 and added a 16 yard this season.
It is also the first touchdown reception by a Patriots quarterback in the team’s history.