Glass half full approach to Cam Newton

[Dunn]

I can't blame it all on pre-season, but this is the first year he basically didn't play at all, and its historically known how bad he stinks it up in pre-season every year...perhaps its just spewing over into the regular season this time due to the lack of reps.

That or he doesn't fully trust that new throwing motion or its just not what he needs.  Either way something big has to change, either how he performs or who will be under center.  

[Wanderlai]

I’m not sure what is going on and maybe Cam is the only person that really knows. If he can’t be the running threat he was then it will only mirror his weakness with slinging the ball. Now the question is why isn’t he running? He ran once on a RPO and fumbled. He didn’t get the call on that 4th 1. I think they said he was 89% successful on 4th 1 plays....so wth??? I suspect Father Time is taking a toll due to the beating he has taken. So I doubt he will ever get back to being an elite running threat. If he is only going to be a pocket passer his career is in trouble. He is the engine on this team no doubt but It’s not the high horsepower one we first drove off the lot. 

[Bartin]

You know I've been on the Cam's shoulder is completely screwed bandwagon since around week 3 or 4 last year and became completely convinced in week 6 against the Redskins. Well before it became accepted and even before he took that hit in the Steelers game. However, last night for the first time in a long time he had some serious zip on some of his throws and a willingness to throw the ball 40+ yards in the air downfield. I actually have some optimism that there is some hope of salvaging him.

Cam has never been accurate. Last night was the least accurate I have ever seen him and it really wasn't even close. He was missing throws by 10+ feet. Typically a bad throw from him is off by a 2-3 feet. If he can get back to his normal accuracy with his arm strength looking pretty good(I don't think he will ever get back to side arm, back foot 60 yard throw Cam, but he can be close) then there is still a chance this works out.

[Captroop]

5 minutes ago, mc52beast said:

If our defense allows the Cards to get into a shootout then we have more problems than just Cam

Stranger things have happened. Frankly I think I'd almost rather see us give up points to the Cards and force Cam into a shootout. If that doesn't get his inner Seabiscuit hyped up, then all hope might be lost.

[CatfanMO]

The season is not shot yet. If we make no changes, we might as well be planning on an 8-8 finish to not make playoffs and not get a good draft pick. RonBall

[LinvilleGorge]

5 minutes ago, Wanderlai said:

I’m not sure what is going on and maybe Cam is the only person that really knows. If he can’t be the running threat he was then it will only mirror his weakness with slinging the ball. Now the question is why isn’t he running? He ran once on a RPO and fumbled. He didn’t get the call on that 4th 1. I think they said he was 89% successful on 4th 1 plays....so wth??? I suspect Father Time is taking a toll due to the beating he has taken. So I doubt he will ever get back to being an elite running threat. If he is only going to be a pocket passer his career is in trouble. He is the engine on this team no doubt but It’s not the high horsepower one we first drove off the lot. 

It's disingenuous to blame the failed 4th down conversion on Cam. He was a full yard past the sticks and the refs failed to properly spot the ball and then the review refs in NY failed to fix the blatant error. You can't blame players for refs failing to do their jobs properly. All players can do is play.

[Darvinsun]

32 minutes ago, CatfanMO said:

when will the excuses quit? When Cam finally comes out and says he cannot perform at a high level?

Trying to be optimistic  while he is playing. We all have said he is playing bad. Just a dead horse .Stop saying what u see and speak life not death.

[MHS831]

I have said all along that when Cam loses the run threat he is done.  His skill set as a pocket passer is not good by itself. 

Yes, his OL is not great, but he struggles to get through progressions---he telegraphs screen passes---and he is not accurate. 

His leadership is not even that great---he gets down on himself--improved, but not great. 

[Jon Snow]

The glass is broken.   Fix that and then you can argue about how much is in it.

[MVPccaffrey]

The biggest silver lining by far is that this is happening not only in a contract year for Newton, but a contract year(s) for a lot of players due for extensions.  Imagine if we signed him before 2018 to a 4 year, $100m+ deal with lots of guarantees?  We'd be screwed.  The next GM is going to have a ton of flexibility.  

[CatfanMO]

14 minutes ago, Darvinsun said:

Trying to be optimistic  while he is playing. We all have said he is playing bad. Just a dead horse .Stop saying what u see and speak life not death.

Look up Einsteins definition of insanity. 

[Icege]

It's painful how there are so many things that can be done to help our situation, yet the staff loves to be conservative.

The DWill/Moton switch seems the most obvious. 2 TE sets with Ian Thomas getting snaps (omg did sanjay just possess me? ). More leveraging CMC + Samuel's position versatility. More Armahgeddon on the field if we're gonna be traditional. Attacking weak points that the defense reveals rather than sticking with a pre-determined gameplan with no room for deviation. SOMETHING.

I would have thought that due to being so raw, the Panthers would have kicked Little inside to LG while Moton mans the LT, OR if Little showed promise stick Moton right next to him on the inside to help the rookie out. Turner and Williams have shown time and time again that they can work well together. Friggin Hurney man... Max Scharping & Michael Deiter were there for the taking had we not traded up, and Deiter is one of the few players looking good in Miami. :(

Could've been Moton/Deiter/Paradis/Turner/Williams with Scharping/Van Roten/Larsen/Greene/Daley backing up (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻

[Khyber53]

Bench Cam for the next couple of games and promote Allen to QB1 for the time being. It will give Cam the time to heal up, practice up or man up (whatever it is that has robbed him of the mojo), and give us a chance to evaluate how others players and coaches are doing. If Cam is on the field, Cam is the story good or bad and it doesn't necessarily tell the tale of the tape for the supporting cast.

Bench him and see if it gets him back into this. Between the injuries, the changes and the age, Cam is hitting a wall that he will either get over or be stuck behind. He'll either fight for it and adapt or he will just shrug and go on, but let it happen off the field.

I'm not saying Allen is the better QB, not by a long shot, but if he can win, it's going to tell us a lot about the quality of the coaching, the line and the receivers. If he loses, it's going to put the weak spots under a glaring spotlight. Either way, we get a better evaluation of where we stand.

[UncleWillie]

Cam will be fine. It's way too early to throw in the towel.