Emmanuel Acho: Cam Newton, Patriots defense are threat to Chiefs supremacy

If you ask Emmanuel Acho, the Patriots are a very real threat to the Chiefs in 2020.

The New England Patriots made major headlines in recent days with the signing of former Carolina Panthers quarterback (and NFL Most Valuable Player) Cam Newton. Immediately, NFL analysts began sizing up the acquisition, not only looking closer at the exact fit with Bill Belichick and the Patriots offense but also what it means for the team’s competitive hopes for the upcoming 2020 season.

As for former NFL linebacker Emmanuel Acho, he believes the addition of Newton to the talent already on the Patriots—specifically on defense—is “absolutely a threat” to the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Chiefs, of course, are the team to beat in 2020 after lifting the Lombardi Trophy for the first time in a half century last winter. The Chiefs did well to retain every single starter but two from their Super Bowl-winning roster this offseason in a year where that sort of continuity could prove the difference between winning (again) and losing given the disruption of a global pandemic.

Still Acho believes the Patriots are going to be very competitive despite losing Tom Brady to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in free agency. On the latest episode of Speak For Yourself, on Fox Sports, Acho stated his case for Cam and the Pats.

"The Patriots with Cam [Newton] are absolutely a threat to the Chiefs. Make no mistake about it: the Patriots were a threat to the Chiefs beforehand … The Patriots defenses was one of the best defenses we have ever seen in the last 10 or 20 years, top 10 in every statistical category, top five in every major statistical category. When you talk about defense, you talk about limiting points. That’s what they do best. Now you add in a game-changer. Now you add in a playmaker … Cam Newton, because he is a playmaker, coupled with that defense, I do think they are a threat."

The Patriots are a popular pick to take a considerable step backward in 2020 given the exit of future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady. Most of those predictions were made when the assumed new starter in Brady’s place would be last year’s fourth round pick Jarrett Stidham. Now with Newton on the roster, some of those projections need to be revisited.

Injuries are going to be the major focus for Newton in 2020. If he’s going to find success with the Pats, he will need to stay healthy, something he was unable to do in 2019 when he played only two games for the Panthers. It will be a national storyline to follow Newton in this new environment away from Carolina, working with a heralded coach like Belichick and his staff along with New England’s training staff.

Newton is 68-55-1 in his career as a starting quarterback with 182 touchdowns to 108 interceptions.