Cam Newton will start for Patriots against Rams

Despite being limited during practice this week and being listed as questionable, Cam Newton is set to be the starting quarterback for the New England Patriots in their matchup against the Los Angeles Rams.

The Patriots have made a habit of limiting Newton in order to make sure he's healthy for gameday. He partially participated in practice leading up to the Patriots' matchup against the Chargers but was able to play in the 45-0 blowout.

For New England to compete against the 8-4 Rams, Newton will need to be more than healthy. He'll need to be playing some of his best football of the entire season. Newton has struggled to consistently lead the offense, throwing only five touchdowns and failing to pass for more than 100 yards each of the last two games.

The 6-6 Patriots are hoping to keep their playoff hopes alive, as they currently trail the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins in the AFC East standings and are 10th in the AFC standings, which would currently leave them out of the postseason. The biggest struggle for the Patriots has been the lack of a passing attack, as they currently throw the third-fewest yards per game this season.

If the Patriots lose to the Rams, they will have a difficult time keeping their playoff hopes alive, as they play the Dolphins and the Bills over the next two weeks. It would be the first time since 2008 that the Patriots have not been in the postseason.