CBS: Ten players likely to take a step back

[Delhommey]

Regardless of what he does, Cam will take a step back numbers wise if no true #2 threat steps forward or if the run game falters.

Last year when teams started keying in on Smith again, Cam's stats fell significantly (though we did start winning more).

[Chaos]

An I the only one that thinks this "teams will have a year of tape on Newton" argument is getting tired? No team that we face outside of our first opponent is going to spend the summer looking at Cam Newton tape. They will be doing installs for their own defense, and they'll watch tape on Cam the week they play us. If anything, Cam will have the advantage of watching tape of himself with Chud and Shula and seeing what things he did well and what he did poorly.

Teams have years of footage on Brady, Brees, Rogers, Manning, etc, and year after year these guys continue to carve up defenses. There is only so much you can do to contain the elite - and here's hoping that Cam falls into this category.

[Mr. Scot]

The flipside to teams having "a year of tape" is that Newton also has "a year of experience".

Add in that Rob Chudzinski is a very good "chess thinker", meaning that he anticipates how others will adjust to what the team has done. That's something the best OCs do, and I believe we'll see a fair amount of new stuff this season.

[panthers55]

Those of you looking at Cam regressing and using the 4K passing yards as a marker are looking at the wrong type of stat. Quantity stats like total passing yards tell you very little. Looking at yards per attempt or TD/Int ratio are much better stats to judge his overall performance. Focusing on quality stats which assess his production in a context are much better than looking at total yard stats which focus on quantity over quality.

[Peppers90 NC]

Regardless of what he does, Cam will take a step back numbers wise if no true #2 threat steps forward or if the run game falters.

Last year when teams started keying in on Smith again, Cam's stats fell significantly (though we did start winning more).

yep, teams keyed in on the pass and we ran on them bitches. one way or the other, our offense will be productive. take what the defense is giving, or not taking away. we struggled to run early in the year for various reasons, cam stepped up and proved they have to defend the pass, and wala! the run game improved. it's not that the pass game regressed, it was that the run game progressed.

[Montsta]

Those of you looking at Cam regressing and using the 4K passing yards as a marker are looking at the wrong type of stat. Quantity stats like total passing yards tell you very little. Looking at yards per attempt or TD/Int ratio are much better stats to judge his overall performance. Focusing on quality stats which assess his production in a context are much better than looking at total yard stats which focus on quantity over quality.

Exactly. If Cam throws for 3,500 yards, but has a TD/INT ratio of 23/5 instead of 21/17, I'll be ecstatic.

[jtnc]

I see cam having 26 passing td's and 10 interceptions..........

[Ivan The Awesome]

I'm surprised Matt Ryan isn't on this list. He's going to regress this year.

[csx]

An I the only one that thinks this "teams will have a year of tape on Newton" argument is getting tired? No team that we face outside of our first opponent is going to spend the summer looking at Cam Newton tape. They will be doing installs for their own defense, and they'll watch tape on Cam the week they play us. If anything, Cam will have the advantage of watching tape of himself with Chud and Shula and seeing what things he did well and what he did poorly.

I certainly would not doubt the other NFC south teams are studying him.

[KendrickPanther]

I'm not worried about Cam. If he struggles you still have a monster running attack to lean on. Cam wasn't an out of this world passer. His rushing yards is what helped him win the ROY.

[Keep Pounding]

I think it's very possible that Cam will take a step back as far as stats.

That said, I think even though the stats may be lesser, the overall quarterback performance may be greater.

We started a lot of drives last year form our own 20, mainly because the other team scored. I believe Cam was top 5 in leading scoring drives for 80 + yards. Which is amazing, but that is far too many drives starting at the 20 imo.

We were the worst team in the league on forcing 3 and outs. So teams would also be able to pin us deep if the DEF somehow did get a stop.

And when we did force a punt, if AE did get a good return, it was always called back for holding or block in the back, the other times, it was watching AE dance around for a 3 yard gain. With a better ST unit, and a deadly return man in Adams, we should see less long scoring drives.

Therefore, Cam's numbers will go down in yards, but hopefully the offense scores more. I wouldn't care if Cam throw for around 3300 yards with 30 Pass TD's and around 5 Rush TD's. And the triple headed monster in DWill, Stewart and Tolbert split the rest of the rushing TD's.

[Argus Plexus]

The only thing Cam is going to lose this season is the INTs

[Matthias]

I believe Cam's stats will sore this year. Last year, he really didn't have a legit number two target. Now with Gettis coming back, I believe Cam's stats for passing yards will be greater. (Considering Gettis is back to full speed) The only drop I see in his stats, may be in his rushing yards.

Yet all in all, I believe he will be great this year. Remember, after his two 400+ yard games, he failed to get 300 yards from that point on. (Someone correct me if I'm wrong. He may have gotten 300 in that Bears game) So if we can get 5+ 300 yard games this season, his passing yards will increase by default.

[Davidson Deac II]

I think it's very possible that Cam will take a step back as far as stats.

That said, I think even though the stats may be lesser, the overall quarterback performance may be greater.

Fwiw, I think its possible he could have a year that is not as good as last either in performance or stats, but still have a good year. And we could still be a better team.

Not saying that will happen, just that its certainly possible.