Patriots quarterback Cam Newton has nicknames for many of his new teammates, and he's shared several of them in various interviews since coming to New England.
Well, Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden has a nickname for Newton, and it's probably about what you'd expect from the exuberant coach.
It's "Slam Newton".
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Allow the Raiders coach to explain:
It's not a new nickname from Gruden. He's actually been using "Slam Newton" for years, going back to his days with ESPN and the "Gruden's QB Camp" segments.
Gruden also is impressed with what he's seen from Newton through two games with the Patriots.
The Raiders will soon travel to Foxboro for a Week 3 game against the Patriots at Gillette Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Las Vegas has lost five consecutive games to the Patriots and hasn't beaten them in Foxboro since 1994. If the Raiders are going to end that losing skid, they have to slow down Newton.
New England Patriots
Newton has played very well for the Patriots so far. He's completing 71.4 percent of his passes for 552 yards with one touchdown and one interception. His largest impact has come on the ground, though. He's rushed for 112 yard (4.7 per carry) and four touchdowns (tied for the league lead among all players).
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Oddsmakers have pegged the Patriots as 6-point betting favorites for this Week 3 matchup. The Patriots should win given their talent and coaching advantage, but the Raiders should not be taken lightly. Las Vegas has scored 34 points in each of its first two games, including an impressive upset win over the New Orleans Saints on Monday night.