4 ways Cam Newton can hurt the Miami Dolphins in Week 12
By Dean Jones
Cam Newton must show conviction on 3rd down
One of the areas where the Carolina Panthers struggled in Week 11 was on third down. This was not just on the offensive side of things, but the defense just couldn’t get off the field during what was one of their more disappointing outings of the campaign.
The Panthers were just 2-9 on third-down against the Washington Football Team. Couple this with the defense giving up 6 of 13 and it’s not exactly a recipe to win a lot of games.
Cam Newton should get a better grasp of the playbook this week, which will slow the game down even more for a player with a reputation for picking things up quickly. Not only this, but the quarterback also comes up with the goods in crucial situations for good measure.
This is what separates the good players from the great.
The ability to show conviction on third downs and in the red zone.
Something the Panthers simply didn’t get from Sam Darnold.
The talent is there in the passing game and Carolina’s offensive line has also made significant strides over the last month. What’s important for Newton is capitalizing on this despite the Miami Dolphins having a tremendous secondary.
Simply put, it’s put up or shut up.
Newton was brought back to provide assurance – to convert in big moments and take this organization to the next level. Something that will hopefully come to fruition this Sunday.