Newton-Meyers have role reversal
‘Special moment’ caps solid season for young wideout
When the Patriots dialed up a trick pass play for Jakobi Meyers earlier this season against the Ravens, the wide receiver was surprised by the play call that ultimately resulted in the former high school quarterback’s first career passing touchdown.
On Sunday, though, Meyers was fully prepared.
As the Patriots trailed by a touchdown to the Jets late in the third quarter, offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels reached back into his bag of tricks. Cam Newton took the snap, handed it to Sony Michel, who pitched it back to Meyers, who lofted a perfect pass to the quarterback running wide open toward the end zone, where he caught it for a 19-yard gametying score.
“I was ready for it this time,” Meyers said. “The Ravens game, it caught me off-guard. I’m like, ‘it’s kind of wet out here, what’s going on?’ I didn’t think we meant to call that. But this time, I was ready for it. I knew that Cam was pretty much bigger than everybody in their secondary, so all I had to do was put it in the sky for him, and I was hoping he would make the play.”
The play design was different from the one in the Patriots’ Week 10 victory over the Ravens, when Meyers delivered a perfect pass to a seemingly covered Rex Burkhead. But it was just as impactful as it jump-started the Pats to 21 unanswered points in their 28-14 victory.
“I definitely felt like that was a blow to them and we just built off that momentum,” Meyers said.
Meyers’ second passing touchdown was Newton’s first career receiving score, and it meant a little more.
Meyers’ history and his relationship with Newton is well-documented. A former quarterback at Arabia Mountain High School in
Georgia, Meyers went to Newton’s football camp and had a chance to be coached by him on his all-star team before he was converted to wide receiver at North Carolina State. To throw Newton a touchdown pass on Sunday is something he will cherish.
“It was pretty special,” Meyers said. “It was always my dream to be playing quarterback in the NFL in the first place, so to be able to throw touchdowns and then throw it to Cam, it was a pretty good feeling. …
“That’s something that hopefully he won’t forget, something I definitely won’t forget and it was a pretty special moment to be able to throw him a touchdown pass. You see that full-circle kind of moment and that’s something I’ll definitely hold on to.”
Newton, whose relationship with Meyers has grown stronger in this season together, didn’t let the moment get away without a joke.
“I was teasing with him,” Newton said. “I was like, ‘Listen, I’d like to thank my hands for really catapulting us and giving us the momentum to win.’ You know what I’m saying? But Jakobi is great, man. We had fun throughout this whole season, with this game. For the guys to battle back not even to blink going down seven points here the early part of the second half, guys just kept plugging away and found a way to win.”
For Meyers, it was a fun way for him to finish his breakout season. The second-year receiver was an afterthought in the passing game to start the year, but he became Newton’s favorite target and the Patriots’ most reliable option in the passing game. With six catches for 68 yards on Sunday, Meyers finished the season with a team-best 59 receptions for 729 yards.
Throughout the season,
Meyers was consistent with his appreciation in the coaching staff for continuing to put trust in him with the ball, whether it was catching or throwing it. The future is bright for the 24-year-old, who knows he still has a lot to learn and improve on but is also encouraged with how far he’s come this season.
“You can’t go out there and call the play for yourself, so for them to put the ball in my hands, put me in opportunities to get the ball, it means a lot,” Meyers said. “It’s something I want to hold on to and hopefully I can build on it going forward. …
“I feel like I’ve grown a lot, especially mentally and playing football-wise, I feel like I understand plays a lot more, I understand coverages, but it didn’t come in the way it is now, honestly. So just being able to stay coolheaded, level-minded, I feel like that’s a big change from how it was in college and hopefully I can just keep getting better with that every day.”