Football Returns

image courtesy of sportingnews.com

BY SAM BARRETT ‘21

Last weekend, we had what I thought was one of the best weekends for a football fan—mainly because the Patriots are back! Best of all is that, even with former MVP Cam Newton playing his first game as New England’s quarterback, the team worked well together. They built a solid lead on the Dolphins and held off for a solid win in their first game. 

Cam Newton played with visible confidence despite not having played in an NFL game in over a year. He had fifteen rushing attempts throughout the game, earning seventy-five of the team's 217 rushing yards. Those seventy-five yards were the most a Pats’ quarterback has run in a single game since the late 1970s. In addition to his yard stats, Newton scored two rushing touchdowns, both from within the fifteen yard line. Even though Newton’s passing game was solid, it wasn’t nearly perfect or anywhere near Brady’s prime performances. Nonetheless, it certainly looked like an admirable start from a player who spent the previous year on the sideline.

 Surprisingly, despite the Patriots’ strong appearance last Sunday, Belichick and his offensive coordinator have told the press that there will definitely be some changes to the game plan in the coming weeks. Aside from Newton, the rest of the offense looked strong; Edelman completed his 600th reception and Sony Michel ran for not only thirty-seven yards but also for the final touchdown of the game. 

As for the Patriots’ defense, they as well had a strong showing. Stephon Gilmore pulled off a fifteen yard interception and Adrian Phillips managed eight solo tackles and a five yard interception. Though the roster underwent changes from last season, the squad was looking good again. Considering the struggles that Miami faced for most of the game, I’d say the game was a confidence booster for players and fans alike. 

In addition to their first game of the season, the Patriots participated in a league-wide protest calling for justice while the Dolphins instead opted to return to their locker room. The protest consisted of players, coaches, and even the Patriots team owner, Robert Kraft, gathering in one of the endzones to watch as a video was played on the stadium screen. I thought it was an incredibly powerful moment not only to mark the start of the Patriots’ season, but also the beginning of a new mindset for the NFL. 

Overall, I thought that despite the global pandemic and constantly shifting world we live in, being able to sit down for a couple of hours and feel like everything was back to normal was a soothing experience. Football was something I took for granted, and having the season start up again gives me hope that we will eventually be able to return to normal life.