An Observation From Sunday: Short Yardage Situations

[OnlyPantherFaninMaine]

I was at the game this Sunday in Arizona. Want to know why Cam holds the ball so long and stares down his receivers (primarily Steve Smith)? I'll tell you why and it is pretty clear when watching the game live where you can scan the whole field and not just the camera's angle.

 

On nearly all of our short yardage situations when we chose to pass, virtually all of our pass-catchers were running routes 10-15 yards down the field and never even looked back at Cam to break off their routes in the event he is getting pressured. On a third and short, I witnessed Brandon LaFell doing a double move/stop-and-go 20 yards down the sideline while Cam was a second away from being sacked. 

 

Cam Newton is holding the ball and staring down receivers waiting for the play to develop and is having to key in on our best target (Steve Smith) waiting for the exact moment he turns his head before he pulls the trigger. It's too bad he is usually 10 or 15 yards downfield and it's too late by then. Sure, he needs to learn to anticipate receivers getting open and hitting them in stride but the fact of the matter is our receivers aren't getting open or good enough separation and thus Cam continues to wait for Steve Smith to gain a step on his man when in fact, he has lost a few steps at the ripe age of 34. Furthermore, our backs were forced to remain inside to help block (albeit poorly) with our inept offensive line and thus he had no checkdowns in the flats or at the first down marker. 

 

Oh well, at least I got to meet Star and about 20 others at the team hotel on Saturday!

 

 

And the stadium is extremely nice. 

 

 

Keep Pounding?

[CPcavedweller]

I was at the game this Sunday in Arizona. Want to know why Cam holds the ball so long and stares down his receivers (primarily Steve Smith)? I'll tell you why and it is pretty clear when watching the game live where you can scan the whole field and not just the camera's angle.

On nearly all of our short yardage situations when we chose to pass, virtually all of our pass-catchers were running routes 10-15 yards down the field and never even looked back at Cam to break off their routes in the event he is getting pressured. On a third and short, I witnessed Brandon LaFell doing a double move/stop-and-go 20 yards down the sideline while Cam was a second away from being sacked.

Cam Newton is holding the ball and staring down receivers waiting for the play to develop and is having to key in on our best target (Steve Smith) waiting for the exact moment he turns his head before he pulls the trigger. It's too bad he is usually 10 or 15 yards downfield and it's too late by then. Sure, he needs to learn to anticipate receivers getting open and hitting them in stride but the fact of the matter is our receivers aren't getting open or good enough separation and thus Cam continues to wait for Steve Smith to gain a step on his man when in fact, he has lost a few steps at the ripe age of 34. Furthermore, our backs were forced to remain inside to help block (albeit poorly) with our inept offensive line and thus he had no checkdowns in the flats or at the first down marker.

Oh well, at least I got to meet Star and about 20 others at the team hotel on Saturday!

And the stadium is extremely nice.

Keep Pounding?

All the guys who saw the game on TV and never rewatch coaches film or go to the games may disagree. Cam holds on to the ball and wants to take sacks because he is selfish. The play calling was great. Draw plays and misdirection screens to counter the blitz were frequent and successful. We have short route specialist ready to run those short routes all the time.

Lafell for Gordon and a number one pick and we will have a complete corp. Rivera is a bad coach because he has a lazy eye and is stoic. I have a lazy eye because somehow I fail to mention I never see Rivera get animated(with my right eye) and I watch NFL Network almost everyday on my lunch break.

We suck as fans and I hope all you whiners stick around in February. Your like lungfish, when it's raining season you flip around spewing your slime and then climb back.

Great post OP. Too bad it will die because no one listens to reason.

"Reason is based on the fact that you can be the only one right even if 20,000,000 people disagree with you."

[ecualumni06]

Great post CP

[SpeedOFLight]

I haven't been to the games this year but I agree with you. I have seen times where the camera did scan the field and no one is open Lafell really gets to me because there are a lot of times where he is not even looking back at cam and cam is ready to launch it. People should realize that Cam is holding on to the ball for a reason. While I think he should just take off running at times when everyone is covered, that is the reason why.

[Argus Plexus]

Star looks blazed out of his mind in that picture. Did you get to smoke with him?