NFL Power Rankings, Week 8: Packers bounce back, Seahawks stumble

So, remember when Bill Belichick looked to have outsmarted the entire world by signing Cam Newton? Well, now that the New England Patriots are sitting at 2-4, the shine on Newton is starting to wear off. That’s especially true after his performance in Week 7, which was one of the worst games of his career.

Newton was simply off-target, completing just 9-of-15 passes for 98 yards with three interceptions. Newton was also bottled up in the run game, gaining only 19 yards on five carries. He was eventually benched for Jarret Stidham, but the young backup wasn’t much better, throwing for 64 yards and a pick.

What was really disheartening for the Patriots was their inability to stop the run. The San Francisco 49ers had their way with them, gaining 197 yards and running four touchdowns on the day. Without Raheem Mostert and Tevin Coleman, the Niners leaned on Jeff Wilson, Jr. who had 112 yards and three of the four touchdowns.

As frustrating as it was for their defense to be manhandled like that, the struggles out of Newton are much more concerning. A former NFL MVP, Newton started the season looking like a stud and now the Pats are falling behind quickly in the AFC East — a position Belichick isn’t used to being in.