The New England Patriots made a bold move in their Week 12 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys, replacing rookie quarterback Mac Jones with veteran Cam Newton after two costly turnovers resulted in Dallas touchdowns.
The Patriots had been struggling to get their offense going all game, and Jones had been unable to move the ball downfield. He had thrown two interceptions, both of which were returned for touchdowns, and the Patriots were trailing 21-10.
In a surprise move, head coach Bill Belichick decided to bench Jones and bring in Newton, who had been the starter for the Patriots in 2020. Belichick said after the game that he felt the team needed a spark and that he thought Newton could provide it.
The move paid off as Newton led the Patriots on two scoring drives, including a touchdown pass to Jakobi Meyers, and the Patriots were able to tie the game at 21-21. The Patriots eventually won the game 24-21 on a last-second field goal.
The move to replace Jones with Newton was a risky one, but it paid off for the Patriots. Newton was able to provide the spark that Belichick was looking for, and the Patriots were able to come away with a win.
It remains to be seen if Belichick will stick with Newton as the starter or if he will go back to Jones. Either way, it was an interesting move that could have a big impact on the rest of the season for the Patriots.
