FOXBOROUGH, Massachusetts – Quarterback Cam Newton is scheduled to start with the New England Patriots on Monday night against the Buffalo Bills, except for an unexpected change, an ESPN source told Jeremy Fowler.
Newton’s status, and the possibility of the Patriots becoming Jarrett Stidham’s reserve, came into focus after New England was eliminated from the playoffs after losing to the Miami Dolphins last Sunday.
The Patriots (6-8) haven’t scored a touchdown in the last two games, and coach Bill Belichick acknowledged on Monday that the team would “assess what the opportunities are” to give some younger players more experience. When asked whether Stidham would fall into that category, Belichick said: “We will see”, adding that he did not see the team’s struggles as specific to any player.
“We have a lot of team questions that we need to answer, so I think it will be the most important thing [and] start from a broader point of view, “said Belichick.
Two days later, after Belichick and his team went through meetings to discuss some of these issues, Belichick seemed less open to a quarterback exchange and stepped back when the matter was raised.
“We are not answering that question every day,” he said. “How about if I let you know if we’re going to make a change?”
Newton has 216 from 328 to 2,381 yards, with five touchdowns and 10 interceptions this season, while adding 489 yards on 122 loads, with 11 touchdowns.
Stidham, who was seen as the top candidate to replace Tom Brady last season before Newton signed a one-year contract on July 8, played sparingly on the duty of cleanliness. He has 18 from 33 to 212 yards, with two touchdowns and three interceptions.
Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, whose weekly media availability was held early Saturday, said: “Cam did a great job of prep this week.”
McDaniels said that any possible change would be made by Belichick, and he would honor any choice he made. About Stidham, McDaniels said, “I’ve seen a lot of Jarrett in practice. I see him every day. I’ve seen him for two years now. I’m confident that I understand where Jarrett is in his development.”