same as last year, Rivera says Cam has got to become a more sound QB

[CelibatePimp]

Our line has not been that bad until last year. Just stop it right there.

[panthers55]

If you think that play was an anomaly I don't think you have watched much Panthers football since 2011.

I think that the line was pretty good in 2013 and struggled mightily in 2014.  Nothing more or less.  I have watched every game since 1995 with the exception of 2 so I think I know of what I speak.

 

But no need to debate about ancient history, Like you said, he needs to improve and we need to upgrade the o line and his receivers.  Hopefully we have already done that to some extent already and will continue in the draft. Because really all that matters is 2015 not rehashing old news.  

[Lumps]

I agree with Ron Rivera the head coach...

Who knows more about football than anyone here.

[CelibatePimp]

Before last season, one issue with Cam was holding the ball for too long and taking sacks or scrambling. So how can you honestly say that our line looked like that? That's a paradox.

[Nick_81]

That would mean something to me if PFF was reliable for offensive line grades, which it isn't.

 

 

I'll stick to watching the product on the field.

 

 

Yeah, that line is "good", or at least.... special.

whoa, Whoa, WHOA!... He threw off of his back foot bruh.  Not perfect.  Trade nao, no excuses!

[panthers55]

So what? You're attitude is *exactly* as I described as well. Like I said, I'll proudly wear "fanboy" while you can claim "pusillanimous pessimist".

What are you going to follow up with now, Peewee? "I know you are but what am I?"

You obviously have no clue about me or how I feel or you would know that I am very optimistic about this year like I am every off-season.  I like the upgrades and am confident that the offense will be much improved.  I think Cam will have a breakout season because unlike folks who make excuses for him, he actually doesn't.  He will take what Rivera said to heart and work diligently to improve and justify the confidence that the team has in him and the huge amount of money they are going to invest in him.

 

I can just see things from more than one perspective and dont see things in extremes as you obviously do. 

[mcdougal]

I am sorry, does anyone else notice a pattern from certain posters here?

 

It has come to the point where the national media is even acknowledging the lack of help/talent around Newton, so it isn't just a bunch of "delusional" posters or "Cam nuthuggers" that harp on the "leaves much to be desired" cast surrounding Newton. Just yesterday, there was an article stating that this free agency period, the Panthers have failed to upgrade the players on offense to better assist Newton, and it used the phrase: "AGAIN." Which indicates that this is a routine occurrence for Newton and the Panthers. 

 

(Nobody is arguing that they are not reasons for this, such as lack of salary cap, but the FACT remains, Newton has been given disproportionately bad offensive help, considering his historically low rookie deal)

 

Yet, the SAME posters who cry about Newton specifically, are the FIRST ones who come to the defense of the "talent" surrounding Newton. The SAME ones who are the MOST quiet during the week the Panthers win games, or right after Newton scores a TD, pretend that they have suddenly lost internet connectivity. The FIRST ones who remain silent about bringing in better talent on offense. And the FIRST ones who dislike any conversation which compares the cast of Newton to his peers.

 

But, the SAME posters are the loudest when discussing any deficiency in Newton's game, MOST critical when the offense fails to score a TD (yet are very supportive when the Panthers allocates a bunch of resources to the defense), are the MOST active on the weeks that the Panthers lose (they strictly want to discuss whatever Newton failing they perceive), and MOST importantly tend to be posters who were among the most adamant not to draft Newton or most resistant to the idea of asserting Newton as the franchise QB.

 

There are like 5 of them: High post counts, claims they are only "constructively" criticizing Newton, passive-aggressive in nature, over inflated egos, attacks posters who attempt to defend Newton, think that they are overtly intelligent, generally augmentative, and persistent in their beliefs in the face of evidence to the contrary. 

 

They are not trolls and are basically fixtures of the Huddle. They will even be somewhat happy if the Panthers do win a Superbowl with Newton (somewhat happy). And they are Panthers fans but generally have complete disdain for Newton.

 

And I promise you, the day Newton leaves, is the day that THEY will suddenly start campaigning for the Panthers to start fixing the offensive line and lack of skill players issues. They will suddenly notice that maybe our lack of offensive firepower more comes from a Oline filled with un-drafted veterans and a WR core lead by a Rookie (the 8th pass catcher taken) expected to be No. 1 from game one, then it does a QB that 1/2 the time is in the Pro-bowl. Until then, they're more than content to advocate for as little help as possible on offense, so that they can voice their displeasure with it in October.

[stirs]

There are so many things at play here, just jumping on one side or the other and grabbing it by the throat and defending it to the death are laughable.

 

To quote a great philosopher, "it is what it is"

 

Cam Newton won the national championship with a running offense.  Not his fault, he won games which was his goal and did it incredibly well.  The offense he ran at Auburn gave him little opportunity to prepare for the next level however, which is a passing league.  So, he comes to the NFL as a winner, but with question marks in his passing game.  His first season was nothing short of a huge sigh of relief as he seemed to rack up the yards.  However, the league, as it always does, takes away what worked for you one season and makes you develop different ways to beat them the next.

 

This is where Cam is at this point.

 

I want Oline and Dline to be the pillars of our team, period.  I have always been about the trench guys, so I constantly want to upgrade those positions.  The lines make better RB's, QB's, WR's CB's and LB's.  There is no doubt we need a better Oline.

 

But at the same time, there is no doubt that Cam is a bit behind in his development.  That can be natural when you have relied on your exceptional athleticism for most of your career to bail you out of tough situations. 

If you look at hits and sacks on the QB in 2014, we were about the same as the Pats, who won the Super Bowl.

 

If I am Gman, I look at it from the perspective that I have the biggest, most athletic QB's in the game and IF I can get his mechanics and pocket passing to be more consistent, then I am golden. But I cannot sign him to the mega deal unless he is improving at a good pace which makes me sure he will be a top 5 guy.   If not, then I will make a move in the next season or two without ever having signed him to a long term deal.

 

 

 

 

[ooglechi]

You were already wrong about comp% now you want to compare a 10 year Super bowl mvp vet to a 4 year vet..

What was Rodgers numbers in his 1st 4 years again? ?

Has Rodgers every played with less than 4 reliable pass catching options??

Maybe you should look at that Packers surrounding cast before posting again. .

That wasn't my point. I know that Cam has jack poo for support. All I am saying is that he can still improve even with the help that he currently has. You act as if Cam is the greatest QB ever and all he needs to take the next step is better help.

[WOW!!]

That wasn't my point. I know that Cam has jack poo for support. All I am saying is that he can still improve even with the help that he currently has. You act as if Cam is the greatest QB ever and all he needs to take the next step is better help.

And now the over exaggeration begins..

Link to where I said Cam was perfect??

When you don't find it stop posting on this topic. .

[ncmonzta]

Our line has not been that bad until last year. Just stop it right there.

what? we haven't had a good o-line since Otah played for us

[Nick_81]

There are so many things at play here, just jumping on one side or the other and grabbing it by the throat and defending it to the death are laughable.

 

To quote a great philosopher, "it is what it is"

 

Cam Newton won the national championship with a running offense.  Not his fault, he won games which was his goal and did it incredibly well.  The offense he ran at Auburn gave him little opportunity to prepare for the next level however, which is a passing league.  So, he comes to the NFL as a winner, but with question marks in his passing game.  His first season was nothing short of a huge sigh of relief as he seemed to rack up the yards.  However, the league, as it always does, takes away what worked for you one season and makes you develop different ways to beat them the next.

 

This is where Cam is at this point.

 

I want Oline and Dline to be the pillars of our team, period.  I have always been about the trench guys, so I constantly want to upgrade those positions.  The lines make better RB's, QB's, WR's CB's and LB's.  There is no doubt we need a better Oline.

 

But at the same time, there is no doubt that Cam is a bit behind in his development.  That can be natural when you have relied on your exceptional athleticism for most of your career to bail you out of tough situations. 

If you look at hits and sacks on the QB in 2014, we were about the same as the Pats, who won the Super Bowl.

 

If I am Gman, I look at it from the perspective that I have the biggest, most athletic QB's in the game and IF I can get his mechanics and pocket passing to be more consistent, then I am golden. But I cannot sign him to the mega deal unless he is improving at a good pace which makes me sure he will be a top 5 guy.   If not, then I will make a move in the next season or two without ever having signed him to a long term deal.

I mostly agree, but if I'm DG, I'm still signing him.  I'm not waiting on the mechanics/consistency, because most people can see the amount of work, and willingness to get better, that Cam puts in.  I'm of the opinion that it will get there very soon.  Probably quicker if they can help him with a better o-line as well.

 

On the one thing in bold, I think you have to take a deeper look at.  On the stat sheets, it's 100% true.  However, if there was a stat that showed how many hits/sacks Cam avoided compared to Brady, how would that stat look?  Probably very skewed.  That's just a huge difference in athleticism, but it doesn't put our o-lines on equal ground.  You have to consider it I think.  Like I said though, I mostly agree.  

[pantherclaw]

An Amesome Cam thread.

coach says Cam needs to continue to improve.

I thought that was obvious.

He is not a top tier QB...YET.

He SHOULD be ready to take a significant step up.

Yes, good protection will help that, but that also should go without saying.

[MechaZain]

I am sorry, does anyone else notice a pattern from certain posters here?

 

This is spot-on but to be fair to this crowd I don't think they ignore the team weaknesses. They seem to believe that a "franchise QB" should be able to overcome them and if Cam can't we should find someone who should.

 

I get it but I think that's just flawed logic. The Panthers' weaknesses as a team are so anti-QB that there's no one in the league that I can confidently say could have done more than Cam has, and that's a testament to his talent. There's always room for improvement and no one has ever suggested otherwise.