Now that the Patriots are 6-7 on the year and their playoff chances are slim to none, the No. 1 question with the team is at the quarterback position.
Many want the Patriots to give Jarrett Stidham a chance, but Bill Belichick has said twice since the 24-3 loss to the Rams Thursday that he's sticking with Cam Newton.
Appearing on Ordway, Merloni & Fauria on Friday, former Patriots executive Mike Lombardi explained why that might be the case.
“If the greatest coach in all of football thinks that Cam gives them the best chance to win, and he’s watching practice and I’m not, then I am going to go with the greatest coach in football," he said. "Because I don’t see Stidham practice. You don’t see Stidham practice. He knows more than we know when he watches practice. It’s easy for us to say go to Stidham. That’s the easiest thing to do. But, we have no evidence to say it. It’s just a guess, it’s not based on fact.
"Plus, Cam has a presence in that locker room that the players respect him, whether we think he’s played good or not, they respect him. They admire him and he leads the team. You make one move, it’s just not as easy as — it’s not a hockey shift and we’re going to move the lines. This becomes, it has more antennas to it and more tentacles to it and you have to answer those questions.”
The Patriots close the season with games at Miami and then hosting the Bills and Jets.
