Newton & Brady Week 1 Overview - NFL Analysis

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They may be playing in different conferences this season and may never meet, but comparisons between Tom Brady and Cam Newton are going to be made all season long. In New England, Brady turned the Patriots into a dynasty, so when he left this offseason, the feeling was that the Patriots were about to go on a serious downturn. That notion, though, changed when they went out and landed Cam Newton via a deal that did not cost a lot of money. Meanwhile, in Tampa Bay, the Buccaneers spent every available penny of their salary cap to build a team around Brady that could compete and win this year. Week 1 is in the books, and while it is much to early to do a side by side comparison, we can still look at what each QB did in their new home. Let’s jump right into action so you can place your bets against their NFL odds.

Cam Newton / Tom Brady: Did they do their Job? | NFL Analysis

Tom Brady Week 1

You can bet that almost every football fan across the country was tuning in to see Tom Brady in his new uniform. Some will have been pulling for him to win and continue to stake his claim as the GOAT, while others were hoping to see him fall flat on his face. The latter group probably feels a little better about their Sunday than those rooting for Brady.

It did not look that way at the start of the Buccaneers game versus the Saints, though, with Brady taking his team downfield and scampering in for a TD in his opening drive. It looked like the Brady of old, but we did not see much ore of that after the opening drive. Besides his running TD, Brady threw for 2 more, but it was a pair of INTs that will stand out to most. One of those picks was taken back to the house for a Saints TD.

Overall, Brady went 23/36 for 239 yards, 2 TD and 2 INT.

Cam Newton Week 1

The reality in New England is that following Tom Brady is an absolutely thankless task. On the flipside, the fact that everyone is aware of that might just take some of the pressure off the shoulders of Cam Newton. He certainly won some fans with a very solid performance in Week 1, with most of his damage being delivered on the ground versus the passing game. This is not to suggest that Newton was somehow lacking going through the air, as he was very efficient, going 15/19 for 155 yards. No TD passes, but also no INT, which is what you would hope for from your starting QB.

On the ground, though, Newton imposed his will, carrying the ball for a total 75 yards on 25 carries and running in for a pair of TDs.

Advantage Newton In Week 1

You do have to say that Cam Newton was the more effective of the two QB’s in Week 1, but no one is getting too carried away just yet. The Patriots were up against a rebuilding Miami Dolphins, while Tampa Bay were on the road against the best team in the NFC. The Bucs have a ton of new players and will need a couple of weeks to gel. The better comparison might come after the first 4 or 5 weeks of the season.

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