Year 3 will tell a lot about Newton

[MadHatter]

Cam's accuracy is fine. His accuracy is the most over analyzed aspect of his game. All QBs miss throws. Tom Brady air mailed three or 4 passes tonight also. As his decision making gets better after getting more experience so will his completion percentage. He is still learning.

Cam will likely be like most QBs, and continue to have up and downs next year again. Becoming a consistent and elite QB is generally a 5 year process. Until that point he will have peaks and valleys just like he is right now. But eventually he will have seen everything and know what to do against everything he sees. THAT is when he will be truly scary.

We just have to figure out how to win some games during those valleys and we will get to the playoffs.

Cam's accuracy is not bad....but it is in no way "fine". And, this is in no way bashing Cam.

We all keep forgetting that Cam WAS going to be somewhat of a project as a passing QB in the NFL. He was not asked to learn a pro style offense and to lead the team with his arm in college....and that is in no way an indictment on his abilities or lack of abilities. It just is.

Don't get me wrong, Cam has had a lot more early success in the passing game than most people could have imagined. And, that is what makes him scary. He is still learning to be a passer.....so wait until he really puts all of this together.

Cam does miss a fair number of throws that he should absolutely make. But, I like what I am seeing from him over the past 6 games. He is missing fewer passes and he is putting the ball where only his guy can make the play. He is progressing right before our eyes.

I am glad that Cam does not think like many of you.....that he is perfectly fine and it is the fault of everyone around him. He realizes that he has along way to go to tap his potential. And I definitely believe that he has the drive and work ethic to NEVER think he has arrived.

[chknwing]

Manning, Brady, Brees etc can not throw accurate passes with 1 sec protection time and defense wrapped around their legs either.

[tiger7_88]

So after he tears it up in Year Three, it will be all about Year Four, right?

LOL...

[Lumps]

Cams flaw is the coaching and the recievers, JR, maybe hte refs too, they look a little racist with their whole white and black BS, they aint foolin no one.

[CardiacCats]

So after he tears it up in Year Three, it will be all about Year Four, right?

LOL...

all I said is we don't know if he's a proven winner yet. Dispute that

[tiger7_88]

all I said is we don't know if he's a proven winner yet. Dispute that

Over the last 5 years, the Panthers record is 33-45.

Over the last 10 years, 77-81.

Over the last 12 years (since that is the period since Smitty was drafted), 85-105.

Now, considering that, which players on the ENTIRE Panthers roster are "proven winners" again?

Why, in your mind, does the "proven winner" judgement only apply to Newton on this Panthers team?

[teeray]

Cam's accuracy is not bad....but it is in no way "fine". And, this is in no way bashing Cam.

We all keep forgetting that Cam WAS going to be somewhat of a project as a passing QB in the NFL. He was not asked to learn a pro style offense and to lead the team with his arm in college....and that is in no way an indictment on his abilities or lack of abilities. It just is.

Don't get me wrong, Cam has had a lot more early success in the passing game than most people could have imagined. And, that is what makes him scary. He is still learning to be a passer.....so wait until he really puts all of this together.

Cam does miss a fair number of throws that he should absolutely make. But, I like what I am seeing from him over the past 6 games. He is missing fewer passes and he is putting the ball where only his guy can make the play. He is progressing right before our eyes.

I am glad that Cam does not think like many of you.....that he is perfectly fine and it is the fault of everyone around him. He realizes that he has along way to go to tap his potential. And I definitely believe that he has the drive and work ethic to NEVER think he has arrived.

Maybe I should clarify my post. When I say that Cam's accuracy is fine, I don't mean it is elite and can't be improved on. You are right, there are times he misses throws that he should make. I just think it is hyper analyzed by many including us fans.

Look at Tom Brady's last real drive last night when they had the ball down by 7 with @3:00 to play. Here is the pass by pass description of that 4 and out.

Pass 1- lots of pressure on Brady forces him to overthrow his receiver by 10+ yards.

Pass 2- nice little hitch route completion

Pass 3- Whitehead open on a short little crossing route with no pressure, Brady throws the ball well behind him causing an incompletion.

Pass 4- Throws ball to Whitehead near the sideline with no pressure and the ball end up 10 rows up in the stands.

Just in his last drive alone Brady had 3 wild misses, only one of which was due to pressure.

If Cam had that same exact drive many people would be like "OMG NEWTON IS DE WERST ACCURACY... ATHLETIC QBS CAN'T.... HE NEED TO WORK ON DE FOOTWORK!1!11!1"

Don't get me wrong I am not comparing Cam to Brady in any way at this point and especially in the accuracy department. It is to illustrate the point that even the best QB in the NFL misses throws. Even throws he should make, and even throws he should make with no pressure.

Now I am not like some of the others who defend Cam and blame it all on coaching, the o-line, and the WRs. Although we need to continue to try and upgrade the o-line and the WR core.

I have simply made the point all year even when Cam was struggling, and it is similar to the point you made, and that is he is still learning.

Unlike guys like Luck, RG3, and Wilson who started 3+ years in major college conferences, he is not just having to learn his offense and learn about NFL defenses, he is having to literally learn how to play the QB position.

He is playing so well, and over the last 6 weeks it appears he is playing the position better mentally. He has been so good since he entered the league and yet he has played the game mostly on raw ability which is scary to think about. I think we are starting to see him really develop mentally. And soon,once he has it all or at least most of it figured out..... holy poo!!!

If someone asks me what is the #1 thing Cam need to work on, for me it isn't accuracy, it is just continue to learn. Continue to master his craft.

He just needs experience. And that unfortunately,that is hard to work on in the offseason. He is just going to have to take some lumps, but at the same time learn from those lumps and get better because of those lumps. I think he has shown he is willing to do that and that bodes well for his future and the Panthers future.

[KJ89]

He's going to improve. A lot. It's inevitable. If he gets the perfect offense around him, there's no stopping him in future seasons.

Playoffs and serially Super Bowl is inevitable as well, given the said offense.

[KJ89]

So after he tears it up in Year Three, it will be all about Year Four, right?

LOL...

Well it won't be about year five..