In eight of his nine eligible meetings with the New England Patriots, Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt has been able to count on quarterback Tom Brady under center.
In 2020, the Patriots will feature a new signal caller in the series as Cam Newton, former Carolina Panthers 2011 No. 1 overall pick, leads the offense under coach Bill Belichick.
“I mean, they obviously do things different with Cam than they did with Tom,” Watt said. “Cam’s obviously much more involved in the running game. He has the ability to scramble more. Tom obviously is the greatest of all time. There’s certainly a different aspect to the game and the way that you attack it, but it’s just like any game. You have to watch the film, study them, do your best job preparing and then go out there and play on Sunday.”
On the season, Newton has been substandard as a passer, completing 143 passes on 208 attempts for 1,535 yards, three touchdowns, seven interceptions, and posting an 80.9 passer rating. However, as a runner, Newton is very effective as a scorer. Through eight starts, Newton has already tallied nine rushing touchdowns, just one score fewer than he had in 2015, the year he won NFL MVP.
Watt knows the Texans defense will have to account for Newton’s 6-5, 245-pound frame in the run game, not just in the passing game as they endeavor bring down such a large target.
Said Watt: “He’s obviously big, physical. He can run. He can throw. You’ve got to be aware of his capabilities in every single play. He can do just about anything out there.”
The Patriots are coming off a 23-17 win over the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday night and seemingly have gotten on track with a 4-5 record. Houston desperately needs wins at 2-7 to help give their playoff hopes a more realistic possibility.
