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Going into Week Two of the preseason, it seemed that Cam Newton was on his way out while Mac Jones was on his way in. The Patriots' quarterback competition is a national storyline and has fans from all teams entranced.
Will the Patriots rebound at quarterback after Tom Brady's exit or is Bill Belichick up a creek with no paddle? Here's a look at how the quarterback competition is shaping up after the Week Two game.
Cam Newton vs Mac Jones preseason grades
Cam Newton: A
Last week, Cam Newton's accuracy was all over the map. He struggled with deep passes and short passes. His worst miss came on a halfback screen that required a four-yard pass. The ball missed.
Cam Newton was in desperate need of a big day this week, and that's exactly what he delivered. He tore up the Eagles secondary, hitting almost every throw. He was able to throw deep and short with near-perfect accuracy.
Newton completed eight of nine passes for 103 yards and one touchdown. If he can keep the accuracy going into the regular season, there will be no immediate need for Mac Jones to step in.
However, it begs the question of how stable a quarterback Newton can be. If he comes out and has a rough game every other week, as the preseason thus far suggests, the Patriots will be in the same spot they were last year.
The Patriots finished 7-9 last season, and if Newton only plays well for half the games, the Patriots may find themselves around .500 again.
Mac Jones: B-
While Cam Newton has been up and down in his first two weeks, Mac Jones has been quite consistent. His deep accuracy was on point, as well as his accuracy down low. He was able to dodge pressure, keep his eyes down the field, and find open receivers multiple times. He was also able to scramble when the opportunity presented itself.
Jones completed 13 of 19 pass attempts for 146 yards. The biggest knock on Jones in the game was what should have been an ugly, rookie interception. Jones tried to hit a receiver up the seam but didn't see the middle linebacker. The linebacker got both hands on the ball and nearly intercepted it with ease. Of course, the backup LB dropped the ball.
Overall, Mac Jones and Cam Newton have shown they are starting-caliber QBs. If this is the case, it seems Belichick could be choosing between a .500 record and a 12-5 record. The Patriots head coach doesn't quite find himself between a rock and a hard place. Yet.
