6/19 75 yards....

[Proudiddy]

Cam does not really need to be groomed by a vet. He actually appears to be making pretty good decisions on the field.

He needs work on his footwork, mechanics, etc.. And those are things that the coaching staff need to spend time with him on at practice.

That's why I think he's gonna end up starting the season regardless of what anyone of us say or think... Can't remember where it was, but I think it was on one of the videos from the PanthersTV channel on the official site, maybe last week... But in the video, Rivera said the thing about Cam that encourages them most is that they see improvement in his footwork and mechanics every week and Shula has spent a lot of time on it with him.

So, if they see these as being his weaknesses just as we do, they're most likely starting him anyway.

[Smithers]

I don't get it. Does anyone who feels that Cam should start on day one think that doing so will help him become a better QB, or that it will help us win more games?

If so, I'm interested in hearing why. If not, then why the resistance to starting someone else and letting Newton spend more time perfecting his new skills in practice before throwing him to the wolves?

The guy looks like he'll be an unbelievably good QB someday. Why mess with that chance for some short-term entertainment?

Yes...and here is why.

1. We have no better option on the roster...plain and simple

2. Cam is the obvious choice considering out O-line issues. I would rather have a QB that can extend plays with his feet rather then one who takes a beating or forces passes.

3. game experience in general will make him a better QB if coached properly.

[MadHatter]

We are not going to win that many games this year no matter who we play so we can put that to rest.

As for playing him now or later, here is my reasoning. If we had a competent starter who could show him the ropes, give him advice and help to develop him then by all means sit him. But with Clausen and Anderson as the other options he will learn virutally nothing constructive from them. Secondly if he were the second or third string quarterback he would get virtually no reps with the 1s and only 25% of the reps in practice each week as the starter gets most of the reps in preparing for the game. So it would take him much longe to develop simply because he gets very few reps from week to week. Third, what do you have to lose?

It isn't as if he gets hurt unless it a career ending injury he wouldn't be ready to play next year. If you sit him he wouldn't play until then anyway. After all the criticism he has endured do you really think he is emotionally frail and likely to develop into a David Carr junior?? He is mentally tough and a gym rat who gets better with experience, watching film and playing. Look at how he developed from the beginning of the year to the end at Auburn. Newton will get better watching film, gameplanning each week and then playing good or bad. Sitting on the bench will actully do little to develop him as long as the other options are Clausen and Anderson.

Ok, I will play your game.

You have a QB with mechanics and footwork issues. It appears that your solution is to put him out there on a bad team....where he is under constant pressure and running for his life. He will NEVER improve his mechanics/footwork under that situation.

He needs to learn how to play the game at this level before you throw him out there.

If he were playing behind a great OL....with a great defense....and a great running game...I would buy your arguement. This is what Pitt, NYJ, and Bal did.

We are not a good team. You have more of a chance of having a Car/Harrington situation on your hands than having a Ryan/Sanchez one.

[rico6]

I'm just hoping Schwartz's, and Otah's returns will be the drastic improvement this offense needs.

The entire right side was on some other poo yesterday.

[ncbobcat]

Cam does not really need to be groomed by a vet. He actually appears to be making pretty good decisions on the field.

He needs work on his footwork, mechanics, etc.. And those are things that the coaching staff need to spend time with him on at practice.

Sorry, I respectfully and whole-heartedly disagree.

[MadHatter]

That's why I think he's gonna end up starting the season regardless of what anyone of us say or think... Can't remember where it was, but I think it was on one of the videos from the PanthersTV channel on the official site, maybe last week... But in the video, Rivera said the thing about Cam that encourages them most is that they see improvement in his footwork and mechanics every week and Shula has spent a lot of time on it with him.

So, if they see these as being his weaknesses just as we do, they're most likely starting him anyway.

I don't see that improvement in his footwork and mechanics from week to week. He has looked worse in every game in my opinion.

[MadHatter]

Sorry, I respectfully and whole-heartedly disagree.

Which part?

That he is making good decisions?

Or, that he needs to work with the coaches on his mechanics?

[Varking]

I don't see that improvement in his footwork and mechanics from week to week. He has looked worse in every game in my opinion.

His throwing off the back foot has gotten worse and worse every week. That is really the only true regression I see.

[CRA]

Ok, I will play your game.

You have a QB with mechanics and footwork issues. It appears that your solution is to put him out there on a bad team....where he is under constant pressure and running for his life. He will NEVER improve his mechanics/footwork under that situation.

He needs to learn how to play the game at this level before you throw him out there.

If he were playing behind a great OL....with a great defense....and a great running game...I would buy your arguement. This is what Pitt, NYJ, and Bal did.

We are not a good team. You have more of a chance of having a Car/Harrington situation on your hands than having a Ryan/Sanchez one.

but the thing is.....we have the bodies when healthy where we should be able to give him the great OL and Running attack.

I will say it again, once Cam starts running more and not holding back on it....he will hurt teams enough they change the pressure. Eventually Cam or Chud will get tired of him being forced to stay in a pressure pocket when he had running lanes he can take for big gains.

[scpanther22]

What is ridiculous si expecting him to play well to begin with. Clausen came in touted as the most pro ready quarterback in the draft. He came from a pro style offense under Weiss. He was reported to have great accuracy, great mechanics, and his only knock was personality issues.

Newton came in as an incredibly athletic project that most folks thought would take 2 or 3 years to develop before he would even see the field. He was widely criticized as not ready and having poor mechanics and couldn't read a defense at all.

So what is ridiculous is expecting him to do anything at all and to be ready to play. What ie ridiculous is criticizing his every mistake as if it shouldn't be there. What is ridulous is people like you coming on trashing everyone who makes excuses for him when they are only saying what every pundit said all offseason. He is a project. Give it a rest for crying out loud.

You are making him sound like Terrelle Pryor from that description. lol Or at least a guy that wasn’t worthy of the #1 overall pick because when was the last time you could say the #1 QB in the draft class was a project.

[CRA]

His throwing off the back foot has gotten worse and worse every week. That is really the only true regression I see.

OL protection has gotten worse every week......goes hand in hand.

[Proudiddy]

I don't see that improvement in his footwork and mechanics from week to week. He has looked worse in every game in my opinion.

That was from Rivera's mouth, not mine, lol. We don't see him everyday of practice and aren't able to break down game film every Monday with them, so it would be hard to argue either way.

He seemed to be throwing off his backfoot LESS to me last night, but IMO, his issues are consistent footwork and accuracy (which some equate to mechanics). His actual throwing motion and arm are elite-level, it's the feet and actual placement of the pass on a consistent basis that he needs to tighten up IMO.

[ncbobcat]

That's why I think he's gonna end up starting the season regardless of what anyone of us say or think... Can't remember where it was, but I think it was on one of the videos from the PanthersTV channel on the official site, maybe last week... But in the video, Rivera said the thing about Cam that encourages them most is that they see improvement in his footwork and mechanics every week and Shula has spent a lot of time on it with him.

So, if they see these as being his weaknesses just as we do, they're most likely starting him anyway.

If the coach's do start him, it'll be to Cam's detriment. Cam may start, but he's going to see more failure than success, there's no need to even argue the point. It's up to him to learn or implode from it.

[stankowalski]

I see a lot of people making excuses for Cam. These same people weren't making excuses for Clausen last year. For the record I couldn't care less who the starter ends up being because we're not going to win many games this year anyway.