I will not Panic just yet... Why?!

[Catufb85]

The Panthers universe has always been slightly overdramatic.... okay maybe more than slightly.  First I will express my concerns and then show why its not time to panic just yet...

Through 2 games of the 2019 Season Cam Newton has looked rusty.  Familiar individuals of the game would say that's all that it is because lets face it you've had 2 shoulder surgeries and then an foot injury over the course of the last 10 months and also hasn't played since December of 2018 and wasn't able to participate much in the preseason based on letting the shoulder heal and then a freak foot injury that sidelined him for the rest of the preseason.  Pointblank the DUDE needs REPS.  Just like all athletes without playing time you loose game speed adjustments, timing with your receivers, as well as even conditioning, etc.  For those who have played the game no matter how many consecutive seasons you play if you miss time those aspects of the game ARE effected.  

Take week 1 Cam missed several "easy" wide open throws and was sacked 3 times having a Quarterback rating of 72.1 which was definitely near the bottom.  What quarterbacks were worse than Cam you may ask?  Jared Goff the vary QB on the other team as well as Big Ben, Mitch Trubisky, Jamies Winston, and Fitzpatrick.  There were 5 other players above Cam that attended last than 10 passes in week 1 notably Julian Edleman with 1 pass attempt and completion.  

We all know the Rams defense is arguably one of the best in the league and they are definitely a Super Bowl Contender after dismantling the Saints 27-9.  We lost the the Super Bowl loser by 3 Week 1 with a rusty QB.  I was at the game and it was so heartbreaking because it felt like we had so many opportunities to win this game which distracted us from who we were actually playing.  

Week 2 home game Prime Time (we all know how we play as a team and coaches coach on Prime Time stages, think we are like 1-9 in the last 10 Prime Time games) but it was the Buccs and their defense is "terrible" lets not forget they are all professionals and even the coordinators who study hours upon hours of film.  I will hand it to them they had a great defensive plan on us.  

Stopped CMC.  Exposed our LT as a weakness that resulted in Cam being sacked 3 times by the same player which no coaching adjustments of having a RB or TE chip that guy to help D. Williams.

Cam's QBR was 70.1 which was again near the bottom for QBs week 2 playing for 333 yards which finished 3rd of the week.  Cam finished with a higher QBR than Wentz, Trubiksy, Big Ben, Derek Carr, Eli, Kirk Cousins, Drew Brees, and others.  Yes, just like the rest of us I get frustrated with Cam on the high throws and the "easy" pass attempts that should be completions.  

But can we take just a MOMENT to point our besides the poor performance by CAM that DAYUM the coaching and game management was probably worse?  No adjustments to help Darryl Williams with an obvious situation that was wearing him out all night.  Getting a delay of game penalty right after a TIMEOUT.  No coaching adjustments on any of the running plays as we had a fullback in the game for 9% of our 79 offensive plays.  Why IAN THOMAS who is arguably our 2nd best receiving Tight End played wayyyyy less snaps than Manhertz when Cam passed 50 times Thursday night.  

That 4th and inches on the goaline to win the game after the REFs seamlessly were handing us the win decide to do a double misdirection sweep to the boundary when CAM NEWTON is famous for his goaline sneaks.  

I am just as frustrated with the season as the rest of you fans.  But some of you all obviously have never played the game and it shows. 

Cam is rusty.  I think his performance will progress as the season goes.  MY ONLY concern at this moment is one the coaching but more importantly is this teams.... BODY LANGUAGE.  We all know our team thrives off Cam's energy and the only scary thing right now was his body language Thursday night, more so than his performance.   If he is not injured and he is healed based on what Rivera and Cam are saying.  There is something going on and it either needs to come to light and be corrected or forgot about and lets move forward.  

LET CAM BE CAM!

Keep Pounding. 

[Mr. Scot]

I won't panic just yet, but until I see something better I'm damn sure gonna worry.

And while I'm all for letting Cam be Cam, I'm not absolutely certain that Cam is "Cam" anymore.

[Jeremy Igo]

The most concerning thing is Rivera wants Cam to be Cam, but Cam isn't being Cam.

[t96]

The argument against it being rust is that he hasn’t looked any better than in the second half of last season, particularly his arm. I hope he turns it around but I have some serious concerns.

[Happy Panther]

We could have played average and been 2-0. And the NFCS is the only division with no undefeated team. Could be worse!

[Untouchable]

I'll start worrying about Cam around week 6.  The real concern is this OL because it (the left side in particular) might send 3 or more QBs to the hospital again this season.

EDIT: Cam not at practice, hopefully 1 isn't already there.

[Sgt Schultz]

I'm not in panic mode.  I used to be an air traffic controller, so hitting panic mode does not come easy.  With this team, I would go into "resigned" mode.....but not in September.  We have a few weeks before we hit that.

Given the injuries, I would be closer to panic mode if I were a Saints fan.  But, unless Atlanta grabs the bull by the horns in the NFCS, I would expect the division to remain competitive for quite a while.  Mediocre competitiveness, but competitive none the less.

[PhillyB]

okay now we panic 

[CRA]

Hope OP enjoyed the 30 minutes of not panicking.  

 

[electro's horse]

i have anxiety issues im panicked all the time

[Mr. Scot]

8 minutes ago, PhillyB said:

okay now we panic 

Beat me to it...

(I would have put "now" in bold, though)

[mc52beast]

Not in panic mode yet, but if he misses the Cards game it might be time to worry.

And rust has nothing to do with Cam not running... he isn’t 100%

[rayzor]

I'm not in a panic. I've just kind of resigned myself to the fact we suck and we're not going to win much this year. 

It's almost like watching the 2010 season at this point for me, only I had a tiny bit of hope at this point in that season. This team is done.

[philit99]

Maybe Cam just "ckecked out", maybe Cam is hanging with Thelma and Louise mentally. Maybe his next job is Kevin Costner's Bodyguard? Maybe the dude is sick of Football? Maybe Cam will come out looking like Big Papa Pump next week?