Entering his third season as the starting quarterback for the Carolina Panthers, Cam Newton will be used even more as the focal point for the offense not less.  In his 32 starts, he has thrown for more yards than any player ever in their first two years.  To be exact, he has passed for 7920 yards and 40 touchdowns.  In addition, he has run for 1,447 yards on 253 carries averaging almost 8 yards a carry with 22 touchdowns.  With numbers such as these, you can see why he will continue to be the main weapon in the attack. I argue that this will be an even more break out season for Cam based on a series of factor: his experience, there is no one like him, and the players on offense we have around him.

The first thing I want to tackle is his experience.  He is entering his third year, pretty much having learned on the job how to be a NFL starting quarterback.  It is his third year and he is no longer a kid at the game’s most important position leading grown men in their late 20′s and 30′s.  He has pretty much seen how NFL defenses will play him and will be even more prepared to attack them.  Having going thru the fires of two seasons, he will be expected to better equipped in managing his emotions because how he is acting does affect the team.  According to Coach Shula via the Associate Press, “Probably the biggest thing for him is maintaining that balance… “Because everything around you during the football season is going to be up and down. The more you can continue to stay on an even plane and lead the group of guys around you, the more effective you are going to be as a quarterback.”

Cam is unique because there is no one playing the position like him in the league.  Yes, there are other players who are mobile playing quarterback, with accurate strong arms also, but  his sheer size and athleticism is what sets him apart.  This player is 6’5 250 lbs, who can run like a running back and built like a defensive end.  When he gets past the linebackers, there are not many defensive backs willing to take him on.

Here is a video that shows some of his exploits from last year:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KN2ZMsi-eBE

The last reason I feel Cam Newton is the ultimate weapon for the panthers, are the players he has assembled around him.  Along with  DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart, Mike Tolbert, and now Kenjon Barner they make up a punishing running attack.  Each back brings different abilities to the game.  It will be up to Offensive Coordinator Mike Shula to find the perfect balance to make them more effective on the field.  In the passing game, we have of course the ageless one, Steve Smith, Brandon Lafell, and new-comers to the team Domenik Hixon, and Ted Ginn. The offensive line has a good returning nucleus with Kalil and Gross leading the charges up front. The thing with the offense is, Cam Newton is not Eli or Peyton Manning.  The Panthers would be foolish not to take advantage of his talent running and passing and try to turn him into just a pocket passer.  According to a story on cnnsi.com, “Shula said Newton will still be used as a ball carrier but wouldn’t say how much the team will use the zone read option that Chudzinski used so frequently.”

Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nfl/news/20130512/shula-says-newton-ready-to-take-big-step-forward.ap/#ixzz2TKLEntm2

Cat Crave

This to me says we can expect to see Cam running the zone read and spread just as frequent or even more as we did last year.  I understand the argument that Cam did better under the center last year, but that is where his year to year improvement comes in.  Last year, defenses may have caught on to what we were doing but once we started mixing it up better we took off and made a run in the second part of the season.  We were breaking in a new guard and once he got acclimated to the NFL things kind of took off.  With another year under their belts, I see a ball control offense with a lot of play action.  The zone read is not a fad, nor is it going away.  Proof of that can be found that one of the Last Super Bowl’s participants ran the pistol and pretty much ate folks up in the playoffs in their run to that game.

Mobile quarterbacks who are dual threats to run and pass are the now and future.  Pocket passers are the past.  I am glad we have the prototype in #1 Cam Newton.  What do you think Panther fans, disagree or agree, let us know in the comments section below.

I’m not so sure why I like him so much though, his track record is not exactly stellar. Compared to most other starting receivers on other teams he isn’t exactly beating them, in fact his stats aren’t exactly up to par with the others. Hell, Domenik Hixon has already had a better single season than LaFell, and Hixon has been regulated to the bench for most of his career. But I still feel for LaFell in some odd way. I think he has a ton of potential as a receiver. He is tall, standing in at 6 foot 2 inches, athletic, and most importantly; he has terrific hands, at times, excluding his sure touchdown drop against the Chiefs. He has made spectacular catches in the past and with enough practice and time I’m sure he can become an elite receiver. He has a ton of upside and has definitely had all the time in the world to learn from one of the best receivers in the league, Steve Smith.

Oct 21, 2012; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Brandon LaFell (11) runs after catching a pass during the fourth quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

LaFell has a lot of downside as well. Compared to the Corners and other Receivers in the league, he is pretty slow, and is constantly getting beat down the stretch. His breakout speed isn’t exactly the best either, though he did have that one 91 yard touchdown catch against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, setting a team record. The game was also held, coincidentally, on my birthday, December 24^th, so that was probably one of the better birthday presents I will ever get. His hands are very streaky, I’ve already reminded us all of his atrocious dropped catch against the Chiefs, a catch that more than likely could have won us the game.

With all that being said LaFell does have tenure with the Panthers, and that has to account for something. Though the additions of Hixon and Ginn might make him work harder for retaining that starting position as the Panthers second Wide Receiver. Ginn probably isn’t a threat, and LaFell should only worry about Hixon. Hixon has had one year that trumps all of LaFell’s time in the NFL, though Hixon is much older than LaFell, who is now entering his fourth year with Panthers, the last year in his rookie contract. But LaFell does have more upside than Hixon, the most obvious being his age. LaFell is beefier than Hixon, who strikes me like he is extremely scrawny, lanky, and stringy.

Dec 30, 2012; New Orleans, LA, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Brandon LaFell (11) carries against New Orleans Saints defensive back Rafael Bush (25) during first quarter of their game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

David Gettis is also a treat to LaFell’s starting spot. Gettis already took over for LaFell in their shared rookie year. Only because of Gettis’s untimely injury did LaFell take over for Gettis the following year. It is very possible that Gettis could overtake LaFell as the Panthers number two receiver on the depth chart. Though I would think that LaFell will hold his spot as the number two receiver, he has been the number two for two years so far, and has proved his worth to the team. I just hope that he can hold onto the spot, it would be quite a shame if he got passed up for either Hixon or Gettis.

As always, that is what I think about LaFell’s future with the Panthers, but what do you guys think? Please leave them in the comments below.

I don’t want to take away anything from the Panthers’ win against the Eagles, but Andy Reid is probably the only coach whose seat is hotter than Coach Rivera’s at this moment. It also didn’t say much that the Eagles (another 3-8 team) were starting rookie Nick Foles at quarterback for only the second time, and their elite running back McCoy was out. Still, this was a game for the Panthers to gain momentum from. Sometimes the hardest part about playing the game is learning how to win; how to close out opponents and play with a lead. This was a confidence building win and something for the Panthers to build on, with their only attainable goal right now to finish at .500 with an 8-8 record; not impossible, but not easy at this point.

One positive to take away from this game was Cam’s performance. He was much more like his normal self this game with over 300 yards passing, two touchdowns passing and two on the ground in highlight fashion. He made the throws he had to make, bought time with his legs when he needed to, and didn’t turn the ball over. For one of the few times this season, he truly was Superman. I also think it’s safe to say we have our number two receiver in Brandon LaFell who continues to produce, which in turn allows Steve Smith to be the beast he’s always been.

November 26, 2012; Philadelphia, PA USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) throws against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. The Panthers defeated the Eagles 30-22. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-US PRESSWIRE

Although our defense did some good in forcing and recovering three fumbles, I was still unhappy with our run defense. We cannot continue giving up 178 yards rushing to rookies and expect to win football games like this one. Also, I cannot understand why we bothered to sign Gano for kicking duties if he cannot even hit an extra point, and kept things a one-score game. Luckily it didn’t come back to hurt us.

All in all, it was a very entertaining game for Monday Night Football, and I was happy to see the Panthers close this one out. Hopefully they can build on this success with momentum and as Cam puts it “swag”, and string together a couple more wins. At worst, we are looking at another top draft pick come next year.