Should the New England Patriots consider a QB committee for 2021?
The New England Patriots remain the final team to not have figured out their QB competition ahead of Week 1.
Cam Newton is viewed as the unofficial starter, but he's getting in his own way. He was away from the team for most of the past week due to a "misunderstanding" surrounding COVID-19 testing and was forced to quarantine.
It allowed Mac Jones to take control of the competition and leaves a bad taste in Bill Belichick's mouth about Newton. Belichick has stated that Cam Newton is still seen as the starter for the New England Patriots, for now, but Mac Jones is playing too well to have him sit all season.
To much surprise, Bill Belichick has not shut down the idea of using both QBs throughout the season. He said on the matter:
"I am going to do what is best for the team. I am going to do whatever I can to help the team win...I am not going to rule out anything. If I think something would help us win, I would consider it."
How a two-QB offense could work for New England Patriots
As neither QB has taken a real lead throughout camp, the best thing to do might be to use them both in some capacity.
They are two different types of quarterbacks. Newton thinks with his legs, has much more experience, and has shown great efficiency. Jones plays more like a pocket passer who runs only when necessary, has the better arm and a higher ceiling.
One QB could be better against a certain defense or package than the other. The New England Patriots open up the season against the Miami Dolphins and then have a stretch of games including the New York Jets, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Houston Texans and Dallas Cowboys.
At a quick glance, Cam Newton could be better against Miami, Houston and Dallas. Mac Jones is better suited to play against the Jets, New Orleans and Tampa Bay. If one QB starts taking off more than the other, then Bill Belichick could make the call to have a full-time starter for the New England Patriots.
As an added bonus, their opponents will have some trouble scouting and preparing ahead of facing the New England Patriots, similar to how Taysom Hill was successful with the Saints in a limited role. If one QB is struggling early, a switch could shift the momentum and confuse the defense with a different scheme and system.
After missing the playoffs and having a losing season for the first time in two decades, Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots will do whatever it takes to be a relevant team in December and January.
The New England Patriots already use a committee at several other positions with success: RB, TE, LB. Mac Jones will eventually be a full-time starter, whether this year or next, unless there's a major injury. No one thought the New England Patriots would be the last team without an official starting QB after the 2020 season that Cam Newton had or that Belichick would be considering a dual-QB offense.
But crazier things have happened in the Northeast, like a 6th-round QB becoming one of the greatest to take the field.