Pat Patriot
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- Mar 19, 2019
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Patriots quarterback Cam Newton had 14 rushing attempts in his New England debut. (His 15th was a kneel down.) That has prompted some to worry that he’ll eventually suffer another injury.
Patriots receiver Julian Edelman has no such concerns.
“I think our coaching staff is going to do the best they can to put him in the best situation to go out and help lead this team, and lead this offense whether that’s running, throwing, that’s up to Coach [Josh] McDaniels,” Edelman said Friday on WEEI, via Boston.com. “Cam’s a big man. He plays smart. If you really watch, he didn’t take any crazy hits. He looks like a really fast defensive end playing, guys are bouncing off of him. . . . I’m sure the coaching staff will be thinking of those things. He’s a smart football player. I’m sure he will take care of himself.”
Cam absorbed a small handful of hits that created any actual risk of injury; two came on running plays as he tried to earn a first down close to the Miami end zone while the Patriots led 14-11 in the fourth quarter.
It remains to be seen how much he’ll run this week. The New England offense isn’t based on a specific system but on the defense it expects to face, changing as needed to be as effective as possible. Appearing on Friday’s PFT PM, Tom Curran of NBC Sports Boston opined that the Patriots will call fewer quarterback runs this week.
Against the Dolphins, Newton had seven designed runs, six runs on option plays, and a scramble from the pocket on a passing play. The last time Newton faced the Panthers in 2018, he completed 25 of 30 passes, and he ran the ball eight times for 63 yards in a 30-27 loss.