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

[teeray]

I'm pretty sure that there was someone inside and shallow around #88 who had their eyes in the backfield. Even if Cam did go there it was going to have to be high and with heat so the slant to Goodsen may have been the easier throw even if he was somewhat covered.

And another thing to remember that many times a play is designed so that you first read is determined by match ups. So it is entirely possible that Cam's pre-snap read was Goodsen was covered by a linebacker which was a match up that Cam felt Goodsen should win so he started there first and when Goodsen got separation that is where he went with the ball as he should.

Again it is called progressions. You go to your first read, if he is not open you go to the second, if he is not open you go to your third, and so on. It isn't check all your reads, determine who is the most open and then throw the ball.

Goodsen was open. Maybe not by as much as Olsen or Naanee, however he was the first read and he was open. That is where you go with the ball. It truly is that simple. How much more open other progressions are is of no consequence to your decision.

If Goodsen wasn't open and Cam still went there that is a different story.

[teeray]

I also think this bears repeating. The stuff we are debating two days after the game, on a message board, with a snapshot of the coverage, and having a tough time deciphering who is correct... Cam has to make that decision in 2 seconds. Lets keep it in perspective a little bit.

[edromeo]

Not taking anything away from his amazing performance, but I also think we shouldn't forget he's a rookie who has a lot to learn. They're going to talk about it in the film room so we might as well talk about it too. His tendency to throw to his first read and not look for second options does seem to be there at times, and I noticed it again while voting for rookie of the week on the last play of the game. It's at minute 2:30 of the Cam's Newton full highlight video.

http://www.nfl.com/voting/rookies

Had he just been a bit more aware, #17 Legedu Naanee was open for an easy TD and was 2 steps ahead of the same receiver he passed to, but with no one on him, almost the entire route. Before you tell me he was getting blitzed and had to release the ball quickly, notice that Naanee was actually open prior to Goodson, so he could have released it even quicker.

Am I being too picky or do you think this is a valid concern?

I don't think its nit picky because this is the type of stuff I like takling about.

But, I don't think its a concern.

I doubt that Goodson was his 1st read.

I think his playside progression went Hi-Lo Shockey-Naanee-Goodson.

Shock was covered, Naanee defender is in perfect position to play an early throw because he's looking at Cam and has view of Naanee in front of him then starts driving hard downhill.

I think Naanee's defender has as good a chance of stopping Naanee short of the 1st as Lenon did on Goodson.

Also did anyone notice that Lenon already has his arm around Goodson waist when the ball is in the air?

[PantherFanForLife]

I'm pretty sure that there was someone inside and shallow around #88 who had their eyes in the backfield. Even if Cam did go there it was going to have to be high and with heat so the slant to Goodsen may have been the easier throw even if he was covered.

And another thing to remember that many times a play is designed so that you first read is determined by match ups. So it is entirely possible that Cam's pre-snap read was Goodsen was covered by a linebacker which was a match up that Cam felt Goodsen should win so he started there first and when Goodsen got separation that is where he went with the ball as he should.

Again it is called progressions. You go to your first read, if he is not open you go to the second, if he is not open you go to your third, and so on. It isn't check all your reads, determine who is the most open and then throw the ball.

Goodsen was open. Maybe not by as much as Olsen or Naanee, however he was the first read and he was open. That is where you go with the ball. It truly is that simple. How much more open other progressions are is of no consequence to your decision.

If Goodsen wasn't open and Cam still went there that is a different story.

Sigh....

Maybe if they had 12 defenders ;) There wasn't man. The only other guy not seen is covering smith in the faaaaar corner, nowhere near 88.

[teeray]

Sigh....

Maybe if they had 12 defenders ;) There wasn't man. The only other guy not seen is covering smith in the faaaaar corner, nowhere near 88.

Sigh...

Read the rest of my post. Even if you are correct about the inside guy it doesn't necessarily matter.

[edromeo]

Here. Perhaps this will make it a bit more clear:

Goodson is at the 5 yard line with Lennon's arms wrapped around him before the ball even gets there. Naane is at the 4 yard line running a full speed slant. 88 beat his man and has the back of the endzone all to himself.

Which one of the three carolina receivers have the closest coverage? Answer: Goodson. Which is one is furthest from a first down or TD? Answer: Goodson again.

Why is this one so hard?

Probably because the video clips you posted doesn't show what you think it shows and here's why......The ball is already in flight in those screen caps.You need to show an image from when Cam still has the ball in his hands not after.

[PantherFanForLife]

I don't think its nit picky because this is the type of stuff I like takling about.

But, I don't think its a concern.

I doubt that Goodson was his 1st read.

I think his playside progression went Hi-Lo Shockey-Naanee-Goodson.

Shock was covered, Naanee defender is in perfect position to play an early throw because he's looking at Cam and has view of Naanee in front of him then starts driving hard downhill.

I think Naanee's defender has as good a chance of stopping Naanee short of the 1st as Lenon did on Goodson.

Also did anyone notice that Lenon already has his arm around Goodson waist when the ball is in the air?

Yeah I did. More than once. Which is why I keep saying he was the worst choice. If you watch the video and see the speed Naanee had before Antrel started going after him, you will see that wasn't the case. Naanee had him easily with a blocker waiting for him. He wasn't running towards Antrel, straight for the goal line, he was running sideways and would have ran past his blocker. 88 also had his guy, and had plenty of running room to keep running away from his defender if Newton threw the ball in the back of the endzone. Only he could have caught that ball.

And I do think Goodson was his first read. But he had two other options prior to his first read becoming open that were much better choices, imo, though Rayzor says that's not how things are done, so I guess it doesn't count.

[PantherFanForLife]

Probably because the video clips you posted doesn't show what you think it shows and here's why......The ball is already in flight in those screen caps.You need to show an image from when Cam still has the ball in his hands not after.

Then just go back 3 pages, cause I already did.

[teeray]

Plus if you watch the play it appears that #31 is coming off Laffel a bit and has his eyes in the backfield. It would have had to be high with heat to get there.

But again if his read was Goodsen and Goodsen was open he throws to Goodsen. Not that hard. This is hard to understand but it really doesn't matter who was more open than who.

If first guy is open or is going to be open, you throw him the ball.

After re watching the play Naanee goes in motion and Cam probably makes a pre-snap read. Likely that the Cardinals are in man coverage meaning that 51 either is going to clear and Goodsen will be wide open or if he stays with Goodsen he has a match up he likes bc Goodsen should win that matchup. So either way Cam knows he is going to Goodsen.

Tom Brady and Peyton Manning do this on nearly every play. They know their match ups and where they want to go with the ball before the snap even happens. It doesn't really matter who is more open. It matters if your first read is open.

Don't know how to say it any more plain than that.

[PantherFanForLife]

Plus if you watch the play it appears that #31 is coming off Laffel a bit and has his eyes in the backfield. It would have had to be high with heat to get there

And your point is?

Ahhh you edited....RIGHT! That's my point. He made the pre-snap decision to go to Goodson, but passed on two other opportunities that opened up prior to Goodson getting in position. That was actually the entire point of the original post.

He didn't capitalize. What should have happened....is when Naadee cut....and the defender lost him and ran into the endzone instead of following him, leaving Antrel to pick him up, Cam should have capitalized right there instead of waiting on Goodson. He had Naadee open first. Then half a second later, when Antrel was going after Naadee, 88 became open. He could have gone to him for the TD. But instead he waited on Goodson, his pre-snap decision. The one he never took his eyes off of that allowed Lennon to hone in on.

That was my point.

Again, this wasn't a case on passing on your number 1 option. In this play, his number 1 option ended up being his number 3, because of Naanee's defender getting fooled and two other guys opening up early. That was the unexpected part that he could have/should have capitalized on.

[Tarheels23]

Naanee and Goodson are both within the first down marker. Naanee is running lateral, while Goodson is running upfield in an angle. If Cam throws it to Naanee I doubt he would've even had a chance to turn upfield.

[PantherFanForLife]

Naanee and Goodson are both within the first down marker. Naanee is running lateral, while Goodson is running upfield in an angle. If Cam throws it to Naanee I doubt he would've even had a chance to turn upfield.

He didn't need to turn straight up field. He could have also continued running a slant past number 11, who was in front of his defender and would have blocked for him.

But even if he turned up, he had more power and speed to get the first down at that point. Goodson was already wrapped up as he was catching the ball.

[teeray]

And your point is?

That it is a much more difficult throw to execute and to catch.

But if you read the rest of the post which is the more important part it doesn't really even matter because in all likelihood Cam had the look he wanted and the match up he wanted with Goodsen coming underneath either uncovered or matched up with a LB. His pr-snap read probably determined where he wanted to go with the ball then anything after the snap. Goodsen had separation, he was the first read, and he had a favorable match up. It doesn't matter who was more open, it matters if you first guy in your progression is open.

[PantherFanForLife]

That it is a much more difficult throw to execute and to catch.

But if you read the rest of the post which is the more important part it doesn't really even matter because in all likelihood Cam had the look he wanted and the match up he wanted with Goodsen coming underneath either uncovered or matched up with a LB. His pr-snap read probably determined where he wanted to go with the ball then anything after the snap. Goodsen had separation, he was the first read, and he had a favorable match up. It doesn't matter who was more open, it matters if you first guy in your progression is open.

Again, that was my whoooooole point. That was the problem.

And I disagree. What matters, at least imo, is which one of his guys were in the best position to get either the TD or first down. Both of those others guys were in better positions to do that. That was the ultimate goal. Not a completion. It was 4th and out!