Cam Newton, Despite Strong Performance, Wanted More From Himself During Loss To Seahawks
For Patriots Nation, there isn't much more they could have asked for from quarterback Cam Newton during the New England Patriots' 35-30 Week 2 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
But Cam Newton wanted more from Cam Newton.
"It was something to build on, most definitely" Newton said during his postgame video conference with the media when asked if he was proud of the Patriots climbing back from a double-digit deficit in the fourth quarter. "But I feel as if, put in that situation, I gotta be better. That's just simple. There's two different plays I wish I had back, including that last one. Just execution on my part."
The "last one" that Newton is referring to is his goal-line carry from the one-yard line with three seconds left in the game and New England trailing by five points. The Patriots ran a quarterback run to the left in 14 personnel, and the result was a loss of yards, but most importantly, no touchdown for the six-time Super Bowl champions.
"I just didn't make everybody right," Newton said of the final play of the game. "That's the only thing I regret. In that type of situation, it's humbling to be able to have the respect of the team, to have the ball in my hands. I just gotta deliver it. I saw a clip of (that play), I could have made it right by just bouncing it. I was just trying to be patient, just thinking too much."
While the final play, had it gone in the Patriots' favor, could have changed the outcome of the game, there was little left to be desired of Newton once the final whistle blowed Sunday night.
Newton threw the football 44 times against Seattle, completing 30 of those passes for 397 yards and throwing one touchdown and one interception. The 2015 MVP also rushed the football 11 times for 47 yards and two scores, making him the first quarterback in NFL history to score multiple rushing touchdowns in eight career games, passing Otto Graham, Steve McNair and Steve Young on the all-time list.
But personal achievements weren't a point of emphasis for the veteran quarterback after the game, because the one stat he was focused on he did not obtain Sunday night.
"Moving forward we have a lot of things to be optimistic about, but yet we still have to get better," Newton said. "The reason why you play this game is for one stat and one stat only, and we didn't get that statistic today, and that's a win. So for us, this is a disgusting taste in my mouth, and I just gotta grow and get better in this offense and hopefully have a better result next week."
Yes, the Patriots did lose. But if there was ever a morale victory in the NFL, Week 2 for New England falls under that category.
Cam Newton showed everyone that as well as running the ball effectively, he can also still throw the football as good as anyone in the NFL. That's why 34 year old Julian Edelman set a career-high in receiving yards (179) against the Seahawks, as well as second-year wideout N'Keal Harry, who set career-highs in receptions (8) and receiving yards (72).
Beating Seattle in primetime would have helped New England prove to themselves as well as those watching them that they are still one of the best teams in the NFL despite the significant roster turnover they faced this offseason.
The circumstances that took place Sunday night did, however, prove to everyone watching that the Cam Newton-led New England football team hasn't quite hit their full stride yet, but when they do, the rest of the NFL should be scared.
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