Truth or consequences for Patriots in showdown against Bills

The Patriots showdown with the Bills is mindful of an old TV game show: It’s “Truth or Consequences.”

Win, and the Patriots have life. They come off life support, and crawl back into the AFC East race with 10 games remaining.

That’s the narrative Bill Belichick & Co. are banking on. The Patriots are trying to show their truth isn’t as bad as everyone seems to think. And they’ll live to fight another day.

Lose?

That will mean they are truly bottom-feeders the year after Tom Brady, and there will undoubtedly be consequences for that.

Right now, they’re jugular is exposed. If the Bills are up for the moment, which is debatable given past history, and are finally able to deliver a knockout blow to the perennial division champs, the ramifications for the Patriots will be endless.

It starts with the quarterback position, and moves on out, especially if Belichick decides to be a seller before Tuesday’s  4 p.m. trade deadline.

So a lot depends if the Patriots can get up off the mat, and even then, questions will persist about the future of the team as the season moves along.

What to keep an eye on?

1. The quarterback position –  If Newton’s woes continue, do they just flip to Jarrett Stidham the rest of the year, to see what they have in the second-year quarterback?

Based on events of the offseason, and training camp, it’s possible they already know the answer to the Stidham question. The former fourth-round pick certainly doesn’t appear to be the long-term answer at the position. He just hasn’t done much to take advantage of the opportunities presented.

It still might behoove the Patriots to play Stidham, have him prepare as a starter, and see where it goes from there.

Now, if Newton plays well, and the Patriots lose, they’re likely to stick with him the rest of the way.

Belichick and Josh McDaniels also need to discover if Newton can be salvaged, particularly in their offense.

Newton is still playing for his future. He’s still trying to resurrect his football life. If he continues to struggle, he might once again be faced with no takers in free agency.

While he continues to take responsibility and say his recent performances have been “unacceptable,” he knows he must improve for the team’s sake, as well as his own.

If he rises to beat the Bills, he’s back in business.

“I’m all about putting the team in the best situation to win,” he said Thursday, “and that’s what I have to do moving forward.”

The way it’s trending, however, the long-term answer at quarterback for the Patriots lies in a future draft, perhaps 2021.

2. Stephon Gilmore as trade chip – Between all the rumors, his house being for sale, and him being downgraded to out for Sunday’s game, it would be an upset if Gilmore was kept at the trade deadline. But, then again, stranger things have happened.

The Patriots top cornerback reportedly had an MRI for a knee problem that was deemed “mild” during the week. His being out appears the biggest tip-off the Patriots have plans for him to play elsewhere.

If the Patriots beat the Bills, and get back in the division race, it might not make sense for the Patriots to deal their best player.

Not yet anyway.

Belichick, however, has never been one to keep high-priced players past a certain point, unless they’re named Tom Brady.

Belichick has a reputation for dealing players a year ahead of time. Will he do the same with Gilmore, who still has another year left on his contract? It sure looks that way.

The Patriots do have a good cornerback stable. J.C. Jackson should be a starter, and moving Gilmore at some point would slide him into that role.

3. Julian Edelman’s football future – With the wide receiver having a surgical procedure done Thursday to help alleviate his troubled knee, it’s possible the Patriots might want to shut him down the rest of the way, especially if they lose.

Knowing Edelman, he’ll want to return, but that remains to be seen. If there’s something to play for, and the knee improves, getting a healthier version of Edelman back would help the Patriots make a run for the division, assuming they beat Buffalo Sunday.

On Friday, Belichick didn’t rule out an Edelman return, although it appears he’s headed for injured reserve, which would keep him out at least the next three games.

“I don’t think this is a season-ending situation,” said Belichick, “but we’ll see. I’m not a doctor. We’ll see how it goes here.”

4. Will Joe Thuney be one tag and out? – The left guard and versatile offensive lineman could be dealt, but chances are, he stays put.

He has an expiring contract, but it’s possible there’s another franchise tag in his future. The Patriots just aren’t going into the monetary stratosphere that would get him to sign a long-term deal.

Thuney, who is their best offensive lineman, has leverage where the money is concerned. Top linemen are getting paid. It’ll be interesting to see how it plays out.

Along with Thuney and Newton, among notables with expiring contracts are James White, Lawrence Guy, David Andrews, John Simon, Jason McCourty and Rex Burkhead.

5. Youth could be served – If the Patriots lose, it might make sense to get the rookies and second-year players out on the field a little more.

There’s no reason not to play Kyle Dugger, Josh Uche and Anfernee Jennings on defense to get them more experience in the system and get a better feel for what they’re capable of if Buffalo slams the door on the Patriots.

Ditto for rookie tight ends Devin Asiasi and Dalton Keene, who have made no impact with limited reps. Dugger, along with rookie offensive lineman Michael Onwenu and Justin Herron have shown the best from the 2020 draft class.

As for the 2019 draft class, aside from Chase Winovich and N’Keal Harry, who have been starters, Joejuan Williams needs to do more than special teams. Running back Damien Harris is getting a good look at this stage. Same with defensive lineman Byron Cowart.

The Brady Chronicles

Tom Brady earned NFC Offensive Player of the Month honors, after completing 105-of-159 passes (66.0%) for 1,157 yards and 12 touchdowns, with just one interception. He also had a 110.0 passer rating.

Not bad for an old man.

And, the Bucs are adding Antonio Brown into the mix. While Brady has been evasive in talking about his role in bringing the troubled receiver into the fold, others in the Bucs coaching staff have vouched for the move.

Harold Goodwin, who is an assistant head coach and running game coordinator, knows Brown from his days as offensive line coach for the Steelers.

“I just think he’s a guy in a position who knows he’s pretty much on his last chance,” Goodwin told the Tampa Bay Times.

The same could have been said for his chance with the Raiders and Patriots last year.

Brown still is serving an eight-game suspension that ends next Tuesday. He was suspended under the league’s personal-conduct policy for his role in a January dispute with a moving company employee, for which he pleaded no contest to burglary and battery charges and received two years probation.

“He knows we have his back as long as he takes care of business on and off the field,” Goodwin said. “And obviously, he doesn’t want to let anybody down. He’s coming to a situation where he probably knows he’s not the No. 1 receiver, and you just try to fit in where you get in. Obviously, Tom has done a great job of spreading the ball around, so I think at some point all the receivers are going to be happy at some point in the game.”

Behind No. 1 

While Cam Newton’s play has been lacking of late, he remains must-see viewing when it comes to his weekly video chats.

Between his honesty and ability to deliver thoughtful and thought-provoking answers,

Such was the case Thursday when asked how he came to land on wearing a jersey with the No. 1 in the NFL. It’s a number that’s now worn by Kyler Murray and Tua Tagovailoa.

Newton, who had it in Carolina, said he wasn’t the first to wear it. Pro Football Hall of Famer Warren Moon did, and he was a trailblazer for “opportunities for quarterbacks like me.”

Newton indicated he actually wanted a different number.

“I wanted number two, and number two represented the second son, which I am from my mom,” said Newton. “Jimmy Clausen had number two at the time, and I wasn’t prepared to pay the bill that was requested. So I just — I picked another number.”

And, speaking of Tagovailoa, Newton was asked about the former Alabama quarterback, who will be making his debut as the Dolphins starter.

Newton said he and his cousin had just watched a show about Tua.

“I never really knew him, and still don’t really know him, but I think he’s a great person. He’s one of the few people that you don’t necessarily have to know, but you just say man ‘Hey, he looks like a good dude,’” said Newton. “He went to the other school that we don’t speak of being from my alma mater.

“But at the end of the day, I would say just take it all for what it’s worth, stay prepared, and know what you’re good at, because if you know what you’re good at, you know what you can always revert to. He has all the skillsets to be a great quarterback in this league and I’m wishing him the best of luck, unless he’s going against us.”

Open and shut Gase

The Patriots will have a bit of a reprieve next week, playing everyone’s favorite pick-me-up team – the Jets.

Damien Woody hasn’t made a secret of his displeasure with head coach Adam Gase, and handling of Sam Darnold, the 2018 No 3 overall pick out of USC.

“I think Darnold is done, and it’s a shame, because I believe in his talent,” Woody told the Herald. “The organization robbed him of any opportunity to be successful in the league.”

A porous offensive line, no receiver help, and Darnold has regressed into a puddle.

Gase is supposed to be a quarterback whisperer, but he’s been far from that in New York. So why not fire the head coach?

“If you fire Adam Gase, it doesn’t change anything. So you might as well keep him in place, let the bottom fall out, fire him at the end of the year, and secure the No. 1 pick,” said Woody. “The Jets have a boatload of picks, and a boatload of cap space. They’ll be able to rebuild after that.”

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/3mKpfVZ