Bill Voth breaks down Cam Newton's season

[ThinkAboutIt]

It's not "Newton" that needs convincing.

Cam has always done what he's been told to do. When they told him he wouldn't be running as much, he didn't, and never said that he preferred to be, so I don't know where this "convincing Newton" point came from.

Tim Brown was on Bustin Loose yesterday and said Cam said he wanted to be like Peyton Manning when he interviewed him in college. Last I checked, Manning isn't running all over the field.

Cam running made Shula's job (and Rivera's) easier so he had Cam running because the rest of the run game sucked, and they didn't need to figure out how to fix it.

Drop the "convincing Cam" foolishness and the rest of the piece is 100% accurate. Radio guys like Chris McClain and Jim Celania annoyed me to no end with that "unleashing Cam" nonsense.

It's them, a lot of "fans," and Cam's coaches that need the "convincing." I've been arguing for Cam to be used in the pocket like other QBs forever. Of course he needs an OL first, and they need to quit thinking that Cam's athleticism means they can take the OL issue lightly.

Again, Cam isn't the problem here. His coaches and GM are.

[Oudaman90]

100% This. Cam himself said he sees himself as a pocket passer with the ability to run. How hard is it to stick with that approach with him? Well, its really hard if you're incompetant like Rivera and company. Panthers fans who say's "let Cam be Cam" , "unleash Cam", or "Cam is best when he runs" also pisses me off to no end. If you want Cam to run more, you are admitting that you don't want long-term success for the Panthers. That you want Cam to use his athleticsm to cover up holes on the offense in order to win now. This approach only leads to him being inconsistent and injured, and the Panthers never sustaining success. But then you'll have the same people complaining that Cam "isn't a pocket passer" or "is a mediocre quarterback" and "will never be elite". No kidding.

To me, Cam is at his best when is has great protection and talented receivers and backs to work with. His first game in his rookie year is what our Front Office and future coaching staff should strive for offensively. You'll win alot of games, have an elite quarterback, and get the respect that this fanbase complains for all the time. Why don't we want this?

[Peppers90 NC]

A predominantly running qb has never been successful in the NFL long term and the stats in this article bear that out. It might work for a few games or even a year but once it gets figured out the fun is over. We should have scrapped the read option in 2012 and developed cam as a better passing QB back then.

Outside of a tackle the #1 offsesson priority has to be a speed receiver who can consistently get separation from a DB. When Cam has that weapon to go with a big possession guy in Benjamin and Olsen as a security blanket he shouldn't need to run the ball to move the offense. At that point we can find out who he really is as a QB.

I agree. But the only reason we run the read option is because the run game is terrible.

[VerticalThreat]

I agree. But the only reason we run the read option is because the run game is terrible.

I don't think that's really accurate. We run the read option because our OC is not creative on his own. He sees Cam's ability to run as a way to have a creative offense. However, misdirection (which is essentially what the read option is) doesn't work in the NFL consistently. NFL defenders are too smart and too quick/fast for that style of offense to work consistently.  Hence why our QB has been hit at least 2x more than any other QB.  

 

If we want to scheme runs for Cam, then they should be on those 3rd and mediums (so the defense has to honor the pass) where he can drop back let the LBs drop and then find the gap in the pocket to run through.  Cam Newton one-on-one with any second/third level defender and he only needs to get 5-7 yards, I'm good with that.  

[Peppers90 NC]

I don't think that's really accurate. We run the read option because our OC is not creative on his own. He sees Cam's ability to run as a way to have a creative offense. However, misdirection (which is essentially what the read option is) doesn't work in the NFL consistently. NFL defenders are too smart and too quick/fast for that style of offense to work consistently. Hence why our QB has been hit at least 2x more than any other QB.

If we want to scheme runs for Cam, then they should be on those 3rd and mediums (so the defense has to honor the pass) where he can drop back let the LBs drop and then find the gap in the pocket to run through. Cam Newton one-on-one with any second/third level defender and he only needs to get 5-7 yards, I'm good with that.

Our previous OC leaned on the option more than Shula does. They went 4 games without hardly running it before the Cincy game and we didn't run for crap those games, excluding week 1.

[teeray]

The read option is good for poo o-lines. It isn't necessarily designed for the QB to run. It is designed for the QB to be an extra defacto blocker.

Not a lot of these NFL OCs have much experience on how to properly utilize it. Shula and Chud use it just to use it, instead of playing with pace and using it when it is most likely to succeed.

[B.BERSIN]

Getting injured could be the best thing ever happens to Cam.

[Password is Taco]

ron rivera is worse than cancer