Newton leads Pats to first post-Brady win
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Sunday’s opener for the New England Patriots certainly didn’t look normal. That’ll happen when you have no fans in the stands due to the coronavirus pandemic. When the game began, things still didn’t look normal for the Patriots and their new-look offense.
Sunday marked the start of a new era in Gillette Stadium now known as the Cam Newton show.
After only playing two games for the Panthers last season, this 31-year-old quarterback looked fresh and ready to the Patriots into the post-Tom Brady years. The former NFL MVP drove the Miami defense crazy en route to a 21-11 win in the regular-season opener.
The Pats won behind a dominant rushing attack led by Newton, who had 15 carries, 75 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns to go with 155 passing yards. The quarterback was 15of-19 throwing but had Miami flustered. Newton kept the Dolphins off balance with a mix of play-action passes and designed runs.
The quarterback scored the Patriots’ first two touchdowns of the 2020 season, which will look very different from the Brady-led offense. Newton’s 15 carries was the first time a quarterback under Belichick was in double-digits running since Brady had 10 carries in a 2006 game against Jacksonville.
Packers 43, Vikings 34: In a unique opener, the Packers unveiled their plans for a more run-oriented offense in a dominant ground game Sunday at Minnesota. The Packers spread the football throughout their second season-opening victory in as many years with coach Matt LaFleur.
The final numbers might not indicate how important the run game is now to LaFleur’s system, but everything the Packers did on offense Sunday — and they did a lot — centered on the ground.
Aaron Rodgers finished 32-of-44 for 364 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions, a 127.5 rating. Davante Adams tied Don Hutson’s single-game receptions record set in 1942 with 14 grabs, adding 156 yards and two touchdowns. Ryan Wood, Green Bay Press-Gazette
Washington 27, Eagles 17: While kicking off the Ron Rivera era against the Eagles Sunday at an empty FedEx Field, the Washington Football Team delivered a first half performance befitting the organizations calamity-filled offseason.
Trailing by double digits after a largely unsightly first half, the players retreated to the locker room. But their coach was not with them. Instead, Rivera -- diagnosed with cancer earlier this offseason and still undergoing treatments -- was receiving an IV to ensure that he could complete the second half.
Sensing the need for someone to fill the void, quarterback Dwayne Haskins stood up and delivered an impassioned speech.
“We’re home,” the second-year quarterback, who at that point had completed only seven passes, reminded his teammates. “We’re the home team. They’re the visitors. There’s no reason why we should be feeling like we should be little bro to them.”
After an uneven rookie season and an offseason spent trying to learn how to lead on and off the field, Haskins is still finding his way in this league. But as the words rolled off his lips, they struck a chord with Washington’s other players.
“We felt it,” cornerback Fabian Moreau said.
Haskins and his teammates returned to the field and orchestrated a comeback victory, outscoring the Eagles 20-0 in the second half. Washington’s defense -- loaded with dynamic, yet youthful talent -- overwhelmed the Eagles, registering-eight sacks and two interceptions. The offense in the second half executed a deliberate yet patient game plan and found its rhythm. An aggressive, late-game, fourth-down call from Rivera that led to a touchdown rather than a field goal demoralized the visitors and sealed the victory.