Andy Benoit's Panthers Preview

[TheSpecialJuan]

1. New Panthers offensive coordinator Norv Turner has never coached a quarterback with Cam Newton’s mobility and power. (For that matter, no coordinators have, other than Turner’s predecessors Rob Chudzinski and, more recently, Mike Shula.) The fate of Turner’s offense hinges on how he incorporates Newton’s ability to run.

Yes, stylistically, Turner’s passing game is an excellent fit for Newton, a downfield power thrower. But Newton’s accuracy is not consistent enough for an aerial attack to be his offense’s backbone. Newton can complete throws that some QBs can’t even attempt, but erratic mechanics cause him to miss—often wildly—on routine balls every game. That won’t change eight years into his career.

Turner must live with the ups and downs of Newton’s arm, making it all the more important to find stability through Newton’s legs. Not only is Newton a tremendous runner, but many NFL defenses still are not schematically equipped to handle him. Such unique mobility skews a defense’s box numbers and angles, and it compels opponents to read and react a beat slower.

Shula brilliantly augmented these advantages with misdirection in his run designs. You’d see multiple options built into the same run play, with pull-blockers, ghost reversing receivers and extra running backs all going in different directions. Turner has favored conventional man-blocking run designs over the years, but you don’t become one of your era’s most venerated offensive minds without being adaptable. If he expands his ground game to highlight the QB, Newton will have an easier time acclimating to Turner’s QB-friendly high-low routes in the passing game.

2. Even with Newton’s running ability, it’s imperative the Panthers get better at executing traditional run plays—the offense was simply awful here last year. Replacing Jonathan Stewart with ex-Bronco C.J. Anderson, who runs low to the ground and with strong lateral movement, helps. And Christian McCaffrey, whose patience and shiftiness fit well behind man-blocking designs, should be better in Year 2. But improvements at tailback won’t matter if Carolina’s front five doesn’t generate more movement—and that might not be easy. Center Ryan Kalil is 33 years old and coming off an injury-plagued season, while last year’s top blocker, Andrew Norwell, joined Jacksonville in free agency. (If 2017 second-round tackle Taylor Moton doesn’t win Norwell’s old left guard job, career backups Amini Silatolu and Jeremiah Sirles will compete for it).

3. This offensive line must also improve its pass-blocking. A healthy Ryan Kalil will fix some of the tactical glitches against disguised pressure, but the question is whether Kalil’s brother, Matt, who is battling a knee injury, can get stronger at left tackle. He struggles too often against power moves. More strength is also needed at right guard, where Trai Turner has lately floundered against quality bull rushers.

[TheSpecialJuan]

https://www.si.com/nfl/2018/08/27/carolina-panthers-2018-nfl-preview

[JawnyBlaze]

He lost me at “Shula brilliantly....”. This guy doesn’t know football. 

[BrianS]

1 minute ago, JawnyBlaze said:

He lost me at “Shula brilliantly....”. This guy doesn’t know football. 

Haha - was thinking the same thing.  Glad Eli gets to experience some Shula brilliance for a while.

[DaveThePanther2008]

I wouldn't bet the farm that Turner doesn't have any running plays for Cam.  I am 100% certain that those plays are tucked away deep in Turner's bags of tricks.  Absolutely no reason whatsoever to break those out in preseason. 

Cam is at 68% during the preseason on his accuracy.  I am certain Cam is much happier with WRs he doesn't have to fear will drop the ball.  I have always felt Cam's numbers were low partially due to too many drops.  While all QBs have drops that hold their percentage down.   I have always believe Cam has had more than his fair share.

[TheSpecialJuan]

Andy Benoit knows what he's talking about. This man here combines the best of both wolf and man. 

[La Pantera]

The fact that he doesn't realise moton isnt competing for LG. AND Amini is injured, disqualifies his whole statement.

[Pup McBarky]

52 minutes ago, JawnyBlaze said:

He lost me at “Shula brilliantly....”. This guy doesn’t know football. 

Shula could be brilliant. The problem was that he knew that and he tried to be brilliant on every play instead of doing simple things that work. So, he was brilliant about 5% of the time and outsmarted himself and his team the other 95%.

[KB_fan]

I tweeted about this yesterday. Some of his points are interesting, but a lot of it reads as if he wrote this in July without watching any of the preseason.

Not knowing Cockrell is on IR.

Not knowing that Amini is injured and that Van Roten has won LG competition.

Not acknowledging that Cam so far is showing dramatic improvement in the short game and taking checkdowns.

It was a lot of lazy commentary.

[XOBlackxJokerOX]

15 minutes ago, KB_fan said:

I tweeted about this yesterday. Some of his points are interesting, but a lot of it reads as if he wrote this in July without watching any of the preseason.

Not knowing Cockrell is on IR.

Not knowing that Amini is injured and that Van Roten has won LG competition.

Not acknowledging that Cam so far is showing dramatic improvement in the short game and taking checkdowns.

It was a lot of lazy commentary.

I was about to say the same thing. I read the article and it read like he just had a deadline to make. Thank God this stops soon and real games can be talked about. I really think this year we'll break that "every other year" curse.

[SOJA]

I'm not a fan of this guys work 

[Castavar]

Quote

But Newton’s accuracy is not consistent enough for an aerial attack to be his offense’s backbone

I am so sick of this same regurgitated MISINFORMED statement. Cam hasn't had sh*t for WRs or a o-line since coming into the league. He finally (after 8 years) has legit WRs, an actual OC, and a decent o-line, and he is going to shred defenses with his arm all year.

[JARROD]

Shula brilliant 

and if Moton wins Norwells old position

bottom line,...

idiot 

don’t know why or how he has a job,..

[Snake]

You know after years of Cam shredding teams with his accuracy both in the pocket and out with a joke of a line you would think racist people would give up the black man has to win with his legs crap. 

Norv is going to make Newton the Black Aaron Rodgers because he knows how to fix Newtons footwork. Us fans already see it and it will only increase. The man is a dual threat for sure but he is much more deadly throwing the ball.