FOXBORO — With the defense being stingy and holding the Broncos to field goals with every possession in the first half, it might have been easy to assume the offense would eventually wake up and help win the game in the second half.
Wasn’t that the usual script for Tom Brady? Didn’t the GOAT always seem to make do with his supporting cast, make up for a litany of mistakes and get the offense out of a funk just in time?
Comeback wins were a huge part of Brady’s mystique.
Cam Newton?
Well, he has essentially the same less-than-awe-inspiring supporting cast. He just hasn’t found the same knack for pulling out games.
But it’s certainly not for a lack of trying.
Newton is the offense. With no other dynamic presence in the huddle, or playmakers to get the job done in a pinch, he’s basically forced to do just about everything.
He throws, he runs, and after Sunday’s exploits, receives passes, too. Newton’s extraordinary talent and ability is basically the Patriots best threat on offense.
He just couldn’t will the offense, which had to make do with a makeshift offensive line, into the end zone.
Playing for the first time in two weeks after testing positive for COVID-19 on Oct. 2, Newton couldn’t complete the comeback during an 18-12 loss to the Broncos at Gillette on Sunday.
“The time off showed,” said Newton, “but like I said, I have to be better, and I will be better.”
His two interceptions, of course, didn’t help the cause. Neither did a fumble by tight end Ryan Izzo.
But in this game, Newton was the Patriots leading rusher (10 carries, 76 yards, 1 TD) and sixth-leading receiver, to go along with his passing exploits.
And because of that, and the efforts of the defense, which delivered a pair of interceptions off Drew Lock in the fourth quarter, the Patriots still had a chance to pull off the miracle.
With 3:14 to go, down six, the Patriots had the ball first-and-10 at their 28-yard line thanks to Jonathan Jones picking off Lock.
Entering the huddle, James White, who has been a part of numerous comeback wins triggered by Brady in the past, had the same faith Newton would deliver the same way.
“We always have faith we’re going to win,” said White. “Whether we’re down 20, up 20, whatever the score is, we always have confidence, especially if we get the ball in our hands at the end of the game. In our minds, we’re going to win the football game. We just didn’t make enough plays to do that.”
Well, they did have the ball in their hands. And after nine plays on that final drive, Newton had pushed the ball ahead to the Denver 24 with 1:17 left. But that’s where the drive stopped.
An incomplete pass to Julian Edelman, a sack, a short pass to White, and an incompletion to N’Keal Harry left the Patriots without a win, starting at a 2-3 record.
Superman didn’t get the job done, just as the comeback in Seattle in Week 2 fell short.
While Newton wouldn’t make excuses, he was forced to attempt the comeback with a hampered Edelman (knee), who had as many pass completions (two) as receptions (two), while Harry was a complete non-factor. Targeted only twice, largely because he couldn’t get open, Harry delivered a bagel with no catches.
On the fourth-down play that ended the game, Newton, who was under a heavy rush, was anticipating Harry moving to the outside, because the coverage was to the inside, only the second-year receiver didn’t get the message. The Patriots quarterback threw to the outside, but was well out of reach of Harry.
Newton, of course, fell on the sword.
“We didn’t execute the way we’re supposed to and that’s a lot,” said Newton. “That was contingent upon me. I knew I was going to get hit. So I just tried to find a spot to give him, so he could make a play on it. There was a defender on the interior part stealing the field, so I still tried to give him an opportunity. So that’s what it came down to.”
There’s no question after a two-week absence due to testing positive from COVID-19, Newton showed some signs of rust, especially in the first half, as the offense was only able to muster three points.
In the first half, Izzo had more catches (two) than Edelman and Harry combined (zero).
The situation didn’t get much better in the third quarter.
The Patriots’ first four possessions went like this: Punt, fumble, interception, three-and-out.
It basically took a Herculean effort from Newton, a 38-yard rush up the middle, to get into position to score in the fourth quarter, with Newton eventually plowing over from the 1.
The Broncos smartly blitzed Newton all afternoon, leaving their cornerbacks to cover receivers one-on-one, and it was a great tactic, because the Patriots’ receivers all struggled to separate and get open.
White, a running back, wound up as Newton’s favorite target, catching eight passes for 65 yards, one coming off a throw from Edelman, as Josh McDaniels was forced to pull a couple of trick plays out of his bag just to try and move the ball.
Those proved two of the better offensive plays, with White going for 22 yards on the first Edelman pass, and Newton going for 16 on the second.
Asked his confidence level with the receiving group, Newton maintained it was “extremely high.”
He seemed more upset over his two turnovers, and the three from the group as a whole. The Broncos defense hasn’t exactly been known as a turnover machine this season.
“My job here moving forward is to find ways to win football games and to put this team in the best situation and it starts with protecting the football,” said Newton. “That’s what this game came down to, no matter what the sputtering was on the offensive side, the defense gave us opportunities by holding them to field goals … that’s what we can only ask for as an offense. We just let the game slip away by the lackluster performance of protecting the football.”
With more practice time, they should get better. But it’s still tough on Superman when he can’t save the day.
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