Jump to content

  • Welcome!

    Register and log in easily with Twitter or Google accounts!

    Or simply create a new Huddle account. 

    Members receive fewer ads , access our dark theme, and the ability to join the discussion!

     

Cam Newton poised for breakout year - ESPN

jamos14

By jamos14,
in Carolina Panthers

Recommended Posts

jamos14 Experienced

jamos14

Posted
Posted

http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcsouth/post/_/id/47843/cam-newton-poised-for-breakout-year


We haven’t heard much about Cam Newton lately. 

Since early last season, it seems Newton has been overshadowed by a bunch of young quarterbacks. Russell Wilson, Colin Kaepernick, Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III started winning and took a lot of attention off Newton, who was the No. 1 overall draft pick and the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2011. 

But it would be a huge mistake for anyone to overlook Newton. Call it bouncing back, breaking through or whatever you want, but I’m predicting a big 2013 season from the quarterback of the Carolina Panthers. Yeah, I’ll even step out on a limb and say he has a better 2013 season than Wilson, Kaepernick, Luck and RG III. 

Why? 

Several reasons pop to mind, but let’s start with this -- Newton has more all-around talent than any of those guys. 

Luck can pass nicely, but opposing defenses don’t have to game plan for his running ability. Wilson, RG III and Kaepernick each have some throwing ability, but they aren’t pure pocket passers, and their big 2012 seasons came largely because of their mobility. 

Newton is capable of more than any of those guys, because he’s as mobile as RG III, Kaepernick and Wilson. At the same time, he’s as good a pocket passer as Luck. 

A lot of people think Newton slumped in 2012. But that’s not necessarily true. His numbers were comparable to his rookie season, but his visibility lessened because the Panthers didn’t take the leap many expected. 

They went 7-9 and were largely overlooked. 

But you can’t overlook Newton and the Panthers headed into the 2013 season, and that takes us back to Newton’s rare ability. He is so talented, I don’t think Carolina’s coaching staff really knew how to maximize his ability in his first two seasons. 

For reasons that never have been explained and I sure as heck can’t figure out, the Carolina coaching staff didn’t take advantage fully of what Newton brings or what else was on the roster at the start of last season. 

Although the Panthers had a talented (and very pricey) backfield with DeAngelo Williams,Jonathan Stewart and Mike Tolbert, they barely used that trio at the start of last season. Instead, they featured Newton heavily in the read-option early last season. 

In other words, they turned their quarterback into a running back. 

Opposing defenses didn’t have to worry much about Newton’s passing, and that was one of the major reasons the Panthers got off to a 2-8 start. 



[+] Enlarge 
nfl_u_urlacher11_300.jpgRob Grabowski/US PresswireA physical running game led by Jonathan Stewart could help quarterback Cam Newton turn the Panthers into a contender next season.

That changed down the stretch. The Panthers got back to using a power running game, and they let Newton be a pocket passer. They won enough games to save coach Ron Rivera’s job. 

Rivera and his staff took notice of what happened late in the season, and that is another reason I think Newton is in for a big season. Rivera has said he wants to rely more heavily on the power running game in 2013. 

In other words, it sounds like the Panthers are going to let their running backs be running backs, and they’re going to let Newton be a quarterback. That sounds to me like a formula for success. 

Carolina is going through a change. Offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski left to become the head coach of theCleveland Browns, and former quarterbacks coach Mike Shula is taking over the play-calling duties. 

Shula had a reputation for being too conservative when he was the offensive coordinator in Tampa Bay, and the head coach at the University of Alabama. But, like Newton, I think Shula is ready for a breakout season. 

Part of the reason Shula was so conservative in previous stops was because he didn’t have big-time talent at the skill positions. He has that talent now with Newton, the running backs, receiver Steve Smith and tight end Greg Olsen. 

I still expect Shula to be a bit more of a traditionalist than Chudzinski, but I think that’s a good thing. He’s going to rely on that running game more, and that’s going to open up the passing game for Newton. 

Newton threw for more than 7,900 yards in his first two seasons. He also rushed for more than 700 yards in each of his first two seasons. 

Newton’s legs are a valuable asset, and the Panthers can’t ignore that. The Panthers can use the threat of Newton’s running skills to keep defenses off balance, but they also need to keep their offense balanced. 

I think they need to adjust things a bit and take an approach similar to what they were using at the end of last season. Scrap the read-option, or at least cut way back on it. Let Newton use his legs to scramble and keep plays alive. 

But, first and foremost, let Newton be a passer. 

There aren’t many quarterbacks in the league with Newton’s arm strength. The Panthers need to play to that strength. 

If they do, Newton won’t be overlooked anymore, and this team could be in the playoffs.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
pdub0702 Proficient

pdub0702

Posted
Posted

I think this will be a great year for the Panthers (and Newton). With a loaded backfield, it will allow us to run a more traditional offense as cited by the aforementioned article. One thing I would like to see though, is more two TE setups with Barner used for pass catch package.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
TheRumGone Grand Master

TheRumGone

Posted
Posted

not only did they let him be more of a passer the last half of the season. But Cam started figuring out that taking what the defense gives you instead of forcing it is a better option. That's why his TD/INT ration was ridiculously good the last half.  I expect great things from Cam this year.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
rayzor Grand Master

rayzor

Posted
Posted

wow...this is gonna get some comments.

Yeah, I’ll even step out on a limb and say he has a better 2013 season than Wilson, Kaepernick, Luck and RG III. 

Why? 

Several reasons pop to mind, but let’s start with this -- Newton has more all-around talent than any of those guys. 

Luck can pass nicely, but opposing defenses don’t have to game plan for his running ability. Wilson, RG III and Kaepernick each have some throwing ability, but they aren’t pure pocket passers, and their big 2012 seasons came largely because of their mobility. 

Newton is capable of more than any of those guys, because he’s as mobile as RG III, Kaepernick and Wilson. At the same time, he’s as good a pocket passer as Luck.

 

i think it's true, though.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
iamhubby1 Veteran

iamhubby1

Posted
Posted

Those of us who love Cam are going to love this article. Those among us with a more realistic approach are going to say, nothing in that article proves Cam is ready to be THE MAN.

The talent is their. It is up to Shula and Cam to bring it out to its fullest. Once that happens. We are going to be fuuuuun to watch.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
mwright350 Rising Star

mwright350

Posted
Posted

The rest of the country isn't going to like an article about us, or Cam, with a positive tone...but I found it enjoyable to read one that praised Newton for his abilities as a QB without falling back on "but we have to rank him low because he pouted some".  I generally think Yasinskas is an ass but I enjoyed reading this article and I hope he's right.

 

For what it's worth, at the very least, he is exactly right about a slightly more traditional approach to the offense than we started last year being good for the team overall and Cam specifically (we saw this late last year).  I'm not as sold on Shula as he is but Shula is who we have so I hope he's wildly successful at it.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • PMH4OWPW7JD2TDGWZKTOYL2T3E.jpg

  • Topics

  • Posts

    • SmokinwithWilly
      Dan Morgan on the Rich Eisen show

      By SmokinwithWilly · Posted

      So he became GM and decided not to address the weakness in the QB room following one of the worst rookie QB performances in NFL history?  There were options last season other than signing Dalton to a 2 year deal. Brissett and Jones by a wide margin, both of whom outplayed Bryce, Wilson, Winston, hell even Rivers off the couch was more exciting at the QB position. The time to address the failure in the QB room was last year but instead people on the Huddle cheered when we brought Dalton back then cheered when we were able to get anything for him after they finally realized he was washed up like a few of had been saying all along and got poo'd for even mentioning.  This year, the options were more limited obviously, especially since we lost Icky. It changed the dynamic of our draft. I think we were stuck this year keeping Bryce, but i still think giving him a 5th year option for what has amounted to replacement worthy performance was the wrong move. Why guarantee 25m if you're planning to replace him? You think he's going to want to be a bridge QB? Hell no. He's going to want out and we'll end up cutting him if he has another lackluster season because no one is trading for him with that price tag.  Were there better options as far as production available. A couple. Were there guys available with more physical tools than Bryce, Pickett or Grier, you damn well better believe there were. I've been saying all along, you always keep looking for your 1b. Bryce has yet to prove he can be a starter. Keep looking for someone who may. Put competition in camp. Let the best QB lead the team. Stop settling for less than mediocre. 
    • Jackson113.2
      Unc Basketball thread

      By Jackson113.2 · Posted

    • strato
      Dan Morgan on the Rich Eisen show

      By strato · Posted

      Reasonable. I mean I didn’t see a clear path to relief this season myself. As I have typed already, I think the QB FA class is more interesting next season and that draft is supposed to be stacked as well. There just weren’t many options this year.  When you have Tepper to contend with you have to tread lightly around this unless you are 100% certain and willIng to stake your job on it.   There were a couple of outings that helped Bryce a lot in terms of  thinking maybe he can do this, and if you are a supporter you are giving them a lot of weight. You are likely to think just get him some more help and he can do that every week. Which I think Tepper falls into that category.  And the playoffs, division champs, regardless of the way I see that, the supporters will also give that a lot of weight.    And the big one, the atmosphere In BOA for that WC game, Tepper had to be soiling himself over that. If you pulled Bryce out right now you had better be right and your new guy had better make the playoffs and look good doing it or you will be gone and your chance to build your old team back into respectability will be gone too.  So here we have Pickett on a one year deal, and Grier and King. I understand it.  
×
×
  • Create New...