Some constructive criticism on Cam Newton's performance. Please don't shoot.

[PantherFanForLife]

If he had thrown to Naanee when he was where goodson caught the ball he would have been tackled by lennon as well. The only time he was open is when he was over the middle of the field, in the small amount he would have to decelerate to catch the ball Rolle would have caught him easy. If it was Steve on the drag route, then I say TD, but Naanee isn't even close to a speed guy. Not to mention after watching it again, the man covering Lafell would have had a good chance at making as tackle as well seeing as Lafell ran a 5 yard curl.

Sigh....you guys are making me work now. He was open prior to that.

Wide....freaking open. Plenty of room. And Cam was looking right at him.

[PantherFanForLife]

Here's a better one a bit earlier.

Lennon can't touch Naanee as he's moving in the opposite direction and Nanee is already full sprint at this point before Antrel even starts honing in on him. Lennon's actually going for Goodson whom he took down.

All Cam had to do right here is throw it down the middle just to the left of the ref, so Naanee catches it in stride. He had an open hole and straight throwing lane.

[TheRealDeal]

Someone is going to tell you that #93 is covering him.

[PantherFanForLife]

Someone is going to tell you that #93 is covering him.

LOL. Probably.

The plan was that #93 was going to use the eye in the back of his head, and stretch out his leg behind him to trip Naanee...so I guess it would have still been moot ;)

[TheRealDeal]

I had someone tell me the other day a linebacker running the opposite direction of Steve Smith was going to cover him and that Steve Smith has lost a step and isn't what he used to be.

<---Linebacker Steve Smith----->

Completely covered.

[PantherFanForLife]

I had someone tell me the other day a linebacker running the opposite direction of Steve Smith was going to cover him and that Steve Smith has lost a step and isn't what he used to be.

<---Linebacker Steve Smith----->

Completely covered.

Errr.....wow. Yeah it doesn't matter if they're close, if the defender's momentum is going the opposite direction, and the receiver is out of grabbing distance, he's burnt.

I'm pretty sure both WR's and QB's are trained to look for that.

Like here. At that point, Lennon's screwed. Not a damn thing he can do to touch Naanee. But he wasn't going for him anyway.

[panthers55]

If he had thrown to Naanee when he was where goodson caught the ball he would have been tackled by lennon as well. The only time he was open is when he was over the middle of the field, in the small amount he would have to decelerate to catch the ball Rolle would have caught him easy. If it was Steve on the drag route, then I say TD, but Naanee isn't even close to a speed guy. Not to mention after watching it again, the man covering Lafell would have had a good chance at making as tackle as well seeing as Lafell ran a 5 yard curl.

You are right. Obviously folks arguing we should have thrown it to Nannee or to Olsen don't know what they are seeing and don't know that the play was scripted to go to Goodson not anyone else. So of course he was going to go there, that is where the play was designed to go and everyone else cleared the area and were pulling folks further inside or outside to clear the zone for Goodson. My only complaint was that Goodson went down too easy and didn't fight for the extra yardage.

[rayzor]

if the call is to get it to goodson if possible and if not then go to the 2nd read...that's what you do.

of course that is with the understanding that goodson was in the right place to get a first down. thats on him.

[panthers55]

Sigh....you guys are making me work now. He was open prior to that.

Wide....freaking open. Plenty of room. And Cam was looking right at him.

But Nannee was the decoy not the target, it happens all the time. If Goodson fights through the tackle and gets another yard all of this discussion goes away. Sure it is easy to Tuesday morning quarterback and say he should have done this or that and use film to justify it. But the reality is that Newton had 2 seconds to make up his mind, and the play was supposed to go to Goodson not Nannee. 9 out of 10 guys will throw it to goodson anyway as he is a stronger runner in traffic. So it wasn't a mistake to throw it where the play was designed rather than to a decoy receiver passing through the middle of the field.

Secondly your photo doesn't show the 3 other guys not in the picture closing in on Nannee. IN fact it doesn't even show the guy who tackled Goodson so I don't know how that is conclusive of anything.

[footballisasport]

Even so, Goodson looked like a harder, more covered and slower target to hit than #17. Naanee was already full sprint, and lost his man, before Goodson could get open. If he hit 17 that would have been a TD.

And yes I know even vets miss miss open receivers, but the only reason this bothered me is because they were both 3 feet away from each other, right in front of him, and his vision was not obstructed. One was open and one was not. That's what makes me believe he had already decided to go with Goodson, no matter what, prior to the snap.

Did u notice last night during the Bronco/Raider's game when Orton fumbled the ball and the other team recovered, one his teammate right across from him did an "oy Vey" action with his hands to his helmet..I'm sure they were way more upset with what Orton did than Cam not noticing that Naane three feet in front of him from but the guy a little further.

[gakonline]

Not sure just how open Naanee really was. Rhodes was covering him pretty close before the ball was thrown to Goodson. Rhodes slowed up to make the tackle once he saw the ball in the air.

It was a good play call. Nice pass and catch and better tackle by the defender. Remember we just needed a few yards for the first down.

[PantherFanForLife]

Did u notice last night during the Bronco/Raider's game when Orton fumbled the ball and the other team recovered, one his teammate right across from him did an "oy Vey" action with his hands to his helmet..I'm sure they were way more upset with what Orton did than Cam not noticing that Naane three feet in front of him from but the guy a little further.

I did, but I don't see the point of comparing Cam to that scrub ;) I have higher expectations.

Our offense and Cam played on a whole different level than the Broncos and Orton. They actually reminded me very much of us when Fox was coaching and Delhomme, Jimmy and Moore were playing QB.

I don't see the correlation. I'm not mad at Cam, though of course I think we could have and probably should have won that game. But I'm really pleased with his overall performance.

[panthers55]

Errr.....wow. Yeah it doesn't matter if they're close, if the defender's momentum is going the opposite direction, and the receiver is out of grabbing distance, he's burnt.

I'm pretty sure both WR's and QB's are trained to look for that.

Like here. At that point, Lennon's screwed. Not a damn thing he can do to touch Naanee. But he wasn't going for him anyway.

No one is going to pick up Nannee at the 10 since the first down marker is at the 1. If you look though 25 is coming to cover Nannee and 51 is handing off the outside receiver and is coming back for Goodson. He would not have gotten the first down and he was only open because the coverage is deeper than your picture which only shows 9 guys not 11.

[PantherFanForLife]

You are right. Obviously folks arguing we should have thrown it to Nannee or to Olsen don't know what they are seeing and don't know that the play was scripted to go to Goodson not anyone else. So of course he was going to go there, that is where the play was designed to go and everyone else cleared the area and were pulling folks further inside or outside to clear the zone for Goodson. My only complaint was that Goodson went down too easy and didn't fight for the extra yardage.

I highly doubt there is such a passing play in an NFL playbook that is scripted to "not go to anyone else". Maybe some freak trick play, and that wasn't one of them, but any play designed is going to have other options, especially one on 4th and Goal on the last play of the game.

I don't buy that one.