Cam Newton gives simple but unsatisfactory answer on J.J. Watt’s batted passes
Cam Newton’s postgame press conferences have bordered upon self-flagellation after the New England Patriots’ losses. That’s why it was surprising to see Newton fail to take accountability when asked about J.J. Watt’s four batted passes in the Houston Texans’ 27-20 upset win over the Patriots in Week 11.
Newton was solid, as usual. But the Patriots’ conservative game plan put all the pressure on Newton in the closing moments of the game to complete a fourth-quarter comeback. The quarterback couldn’t deliver, with the team failing to convert a fourth-and-3 with 1:18 left in the game. Newton’s shortcomings weren’t pronounced. He had a few low passes, and the batted balls. So he fielded a question about Watt’s stat line.
“He’s J.J. Watt,” Newton said, laughing. “What do you expect?”
A reporter pointed out that Watt doesn’t usually get four batted passers per game.
“JJ Watt, he’s an all-pro, perennial all-pro,” Newton said after the game. “He’s a defensive Player of the Year, one of the best players in this generation. So for us, it is what it is. They get paid too. So for us to go against that, I’m not saying we fold up the tent, but at the same time, they’re going to make plays just like we’re going to make plays and we just can’t get bent out of shape when that happens. We just got to move on and still be able to move the ball like we did show sometimes today, but it’s not enough.”
Newton’s follow-up response paints a better light on his thought process. Watt, a potential future Hall of Famer, had two tackles on the day. The fact that he logged four pass deflections is a case of winning some and losing some against a really good player.
But perhaps that win-some, lose-some mentality is a bit too prevalent in New England’s locker room as the Patriots fall to 4-6, a record that likely puts them out of the playoff hunt when considering their tough schedule ahead.
