Buckle up, Dolphins fans. There will be no Jarrett Stidham experiment against the Miami Dolphins in Week 1 of the 2020 NFL season — the New England Patriots have reportedly declared quarterback Cam Newton as the team’s starting quarterback ahead of the close of training camp. There has been much speculation about the Patriots’ affinity for Stidham this offseason, but a hip injury derailed any chance the young quarterback had at an upset.
Now, the Dolphins must go about their preparations knowing full well what they can expect to face to open the season: a ticked off Newton out to prove that he’s still got plenty in the tank. And, to further complicate the matter for the Dolphins, the Patriots as a collective group are being considered vulnerable — which Belichick will certainly know how to twist to his advantage.
Cam Newton named Patriots starting QB. (via @RapSheet) pic.twitter.com/vacMTIHxCn
— NFL (@NFL) September 3, 2020
The hope for the Dolphins is that Miami’s defensive personnel can lock down Newton’s pass catchers and that the team’s overhauled pass rush unit can collapse the pocket around Newton while simultaneously keeping him boxed in and preventing the athletic quarterback from beating them with his legs. The Dolphins have struggled in recent years against athletic quarterbacks, so Newton will be a terrific litmus test for this team as they look to decipher just how much better they are than the standards set in 2019.
With a little luck, Newton’s arrival as the starting quarterback won’t prevent a repeat performance of Miami’s end result the last time the team traveled north to face the Patriots.
