Why Mac Jones is now officially better than Cam Newton

For the next few years, Mac Jones will be compared to Tom Brady and Cam Newton. However, after Sunday, the comparisons between Jones and Newton will start winding down, as it is relatively clear that Jones has passed Newton in terms of talent. Here's a look at why Jones is now officially better than his mentor for a brief period — Cam Newton, .

Mac Jones vs Cam Newton: Statsistical take

A simple comparison of the stats representing Jones and Newton's games on Sunday showed a massive difference between the two. Against the Tennessee Titans, Mac Jones completed 71.9 percent of his throws for 310 yards and two touchdowns. Meanwhile, Cam Newton completed five of 21 pass attempts for 92 yards and two interceptions against the Miami Dolphins.

Looking at both quarterbacks in their respective games, it is clear that Jones is better than Newton. The Patriots faced the Titans, who are ranked 16th in the NFL in terms of defense. Meanwhile, Newton faced the Miami Dolphins, who are ranked 23rd in the NFL in terms of defense.

Now, a month into his time with the Panthers, Newton has had plenty of time to learn the playbook well enough to avoid an implosion, especially after a solid performance against the Washington Football Team, in which he threw for two touchdowns and no interceptions.

Mac Jones in 2021 vs Cam Newton in 2020

Mac Jones' first year in the Patriots system has been completely different than that of Cam Newton. With the Patriots, Newton went 7-8, throwing for 2,657 yards, eight touchdowns and ten interceptions while completing 65.8 percent of his throws. Mac Jones has already beaten those numbers through 12 games.

In 12 games, Jones has already won more games than Newton did in 15 starts. He's 8-4 and has completed 70 percent of his throws. He's thrown for 2,850 yards, 16 touchdowns and eight interceptions. The Patriots are in second place in the AFC. With Newton, the Patriots didn't even make the playoffs.

Barring a complete implosion, Jones has supplanted Newton in basically every way possible. Newton's last advantage is likely to be his size and ability to scramble on occasion. But those are bonuses, and alone they don't make for a successful quarterback. Put simply, Jones is a much better product in the NFL in year one than Newton is in year 11.

The next step for Jones will be to reach Tom Brady's level of prowess. Of course, he's at least one Super Bowl away from being seriously considered close to Brady at almost any point in his career.

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