Lifelong Panthers fan AMA (ask me anything) Cam Edition

[captain stone]

FWIW, I've lived in South Carolina for seven years and I have yet to have met or seen a Panthers fan.

Same here, a wee bit longer, but that was during the 1980s before the Panthers arrived, so the Charleston & Savannah papers covered mostly the Redskins & Falcons then...One can therefore picture our happiness at the arrival of USAToday & its all-teams coverage during the early '80s...

One question I have for CPF: Do you believe that Cam Newton has it in him to take his new job seriously, ditch the stupid, childish clothes & hair, and finally act as a mature adult & leader of this offense?

 

[Conflicted Panthers fan]

Same here, a wee bit longer, but that was during the 1980s before the Panthers arrived, so the Charleston & Savannah papers covered mostly the Redskins & Falcons then...One can therefore picture our happiness at the arrival of USAToday & its all-teams coverage during the early '80s...

One question I have for CPF: Do you believe that Cam Newton has it in him to take his new job seriously, ditch the stupid, childish clothes & hair, and finally act as a mature adult & leader of this offense?

By all accounts from coaches and players in the Panthers locker room Cam was always a great teammate and leader.

Saying he's not a mature adult or a leader is either being totally ignorant or disingenuous at best.

 

[FCB02062]

Newton will add a QB run threat dimension to the Pat's they haven't had since Doug Flutie. Neither of them are very accurate and even more concerning is Newton's 3d complete % - iirc around 52%....

CPF, do you remember Newton being awful on third downs throwing? Is he woefully inaccurate, esp in big situations? Perhaps there's an explanation.... We're used to 10 yard darts over the middle complete to Edelman on 3d and 9....thanks for your info!

 

[Conflicted Panthers fan]

Statwise, Cam was never a particularly accurate passer, until 2018 with Norv Turner. It seems noteworthy, but odd, that Cam was suddenly a 67% completion QB, before injury.

Was that a fluke, did he mature, have better talent, or what? Norv is a great OC but has a reputation for stretching the field, not for necessarily having QBs with high completion percentages and a ball control philosophy.

I'm glad you brought up the completion percentage stat because it's what everyone who hasn't watched Cam closely points to as a "he's not accurate!" argument. The fact is Cam can be absolutely deadly from the pocket and for stretches of his career he's proven that.

So what's with the sub-60% completion percentage? I think the answer lies with the type of offense Cam was asked to run for the majority of his career, and who he was throwing to. For one, when Cam came into the league the Panthers offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski designed an offense unlike any the NFL had seen. I'm talking heavy read-option with lots of shots downfield. Lots of stuff outside the hash marks and lots of deep throws. This was a high risk high reward offense.

After Cam exploded onto the scene in that offense, Chud was offered the head coaching job with the Browns, and you probably know how that turned out. So after Chud the Panthers promoted Cam's QB coach Mike Shula to OC. You may know Mike Shula because of his last name, which imo is the reason he's anywhere even close to an NFL field. Shula's offense had Cam consistently throwing downfield into very tight windows, again in that high risk-high reward style offense. In addition to the style of offense that leads to less completions, the Panthers did no favors in putting talented WR's around Cam, to say the absolute least. In 2016 Matt Harmon on nfl.com ran the next gen stats and showed Cam threw into small windows more than any other QB in the league, and his WR's had the least amount of separation than any QB. It's hard to imagine a worse crop of WRs that a franchise could put around a star QB for a career. Outside of Steve Smith who was already on the team before Cam's arrival, the Panthers never had a true #1 WR. Imagine that. Hell in 2015 ,Cam lead the Panthers to a 17-1 regular season record with Ted Ginn and Philly Brown as his WR1 WR2. Just unreal.

So then the Panthers FINALLY fire Mike Shula and bring in Norv Turner who goes, wait a minute, why are you making it so damn hard on your quarterback, and he implements a system that enables Cam to get the ball out quickly and to let his teammates carry at least some of the burden. This is not even mentioning how god awful some of Carolina's offensive lines have been for the past ten years, but that's another story.

All that to say, the completion percentage being thrown out as proof that Cam is an inaccurate passer is just laziness and ignoring the context behind what was really happening on the field.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Thanks @Conflicted Panthers fan.
Your posts are interesting and seem well informed. Keep them coming!
Welcome to the Board.

 

[Conflicted Panthers fan]

Newton will add a QB run threat dimension to the Pat's they haven't had since Doug Flutie. Neither of them are very accurate and even more concerning is Newton's 3d complete % - iirc around 52%....

CPF, do you remember Newton being awful on third downs throwing? Is he woefully inaccurate, esp in big situations? Perhaps there's an explanation.... We're used to 10 yard darts over the middle complete to Edelman on 3d and 9....thanks for your info!

See my prior post, I think any poor third down stats will circle back to the type of offense being run and the WRs tasked with getting open.

I will say prior to Norv coming in, Cam would go for the higher risk play over settling for a layup dunkoff pass, which Brady seemed to excel at. Once Norv came on, and we drafted CMC, that's when I think Cam felt he didn't have to do it all on his own.

 

[p8ryts]

How is he accuracy wise between the hashes? I love Cam's deep ball. I remember a game in Seattle, he brought them back with an amazing pass to Olsen. I'm looking forward to change at QB. Brady was great but he lost me the last couple of years so I think Cam, if healthy, can rejuvenate the Pats.

 

[Ring 6]

If you get Cam at 70-80% healthy, you'll be contending for the AFC championship without a doubt. His health is really the x-factor, and I think the main issue is his throwing shoulder. If that holds up, look out. The thing is that shoulder isn't something you'll know can hold up until you get late into the season. I will be holding my breath with cautious optimism every snap and enjoying the ride.

This is where you lose me. In his entire career he only advanced to a conference championship one time but you are saying at 70-80% we will contend to win the AFCCG without a doubt.
What concerns me the most is, armed with a defense that was more good than bad, a typically strong running game and fully healthy and operating as a dual threat QB who’s biggest strength was his running ability, outside of 2015 and his rookie year Carolina was never better than 12th in points scored and largely middle of the road.
If you ignore 2015 his results have been very average.

 

[Joey007]

Yeah I have similar thoughts on the defense. They will be very young, but it seems like they'll be fast and the defensive front does look impressive at least on paper.

I think they'll be going through some growing pains on defense, and probably be in the bottom half of the league. If they end up between 15-20 in defensive ranking I'll count that as a win. That said, I'm telling everyone to bet the over on every Panthers game, as I think we'll have a high scoring offense and a defense (secondary) that gives up a lot of points.

I’d agree with that assessment based on looking at the personnel. I think there’s plenty of promise up front, especially if Kawaan Short gets healthy. But that back 7 looks awfully inexperienced outside of Shaq Thompson and Tre Boston. Definitely a lot of work to be done back there still.

 

[Conflicted Panthers fan]

This is where you lose me. In his entire career he only advanced to a conference championship one time but you are saying at 70-80% we will contend to win the AFCCG without a doubt.
What concerns me the most is, armed with a defense that was more good than bad, a typically strong running game and fully healthy and operating as a dual threat QB who’s biggest strength was his running ability, outside of 2015 and his rookie year Carolina was never better than 12th in points scored and largely middle of the road.
If you ignore 2015 his results have been very average.

You can make stats tell any story you want. I would say looking at a stat like "points scored" is pointless for the simple fact that Cam played under an old school defensive coach in Ron Rivera who would completely take his foot off the gas the minute the Panthers got a lead.

As far as the AFCC contention, what I'm taking into account is that the typically awful division the Pats are fortunate to play in should result in a playoff appearance if not a bye, a strong defense and the best coach the game has ever seen. If I'm not mistaken the Pats have a young but promising offensive line as well? I saw one Boston reporter saying they could be the best offensive line in the league but I'm not sure about that. All this hinges on Cam being healthy, but if he is, this coaching staff, defense and even an average offensive line should produce scary results.

 

[Conflicted Panthers fan]

I’d agree with that assessment based on looking at the personnel. I think there’s plenty of promise up front, especially if Kawaan Short gets healthy. But that back 7 looks awfully inexperienced outside of Shaq Thompson and Tre Boston. Definitely a lot of work to be done back there still.

Yeah the Panthers secondary could be one of the worst in the league. I think the Panthers as a whole will be fun to watch and best case scenario they sniff a wild card spot. Realistically with the rebuild on defense I think they're looking at a few more years to be in serious contention, similar to how the 49ers spent several years loading up on defense through the draft.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Biggest concern about Cam is his ability to learn the playbook in such a short time..

 

[BaconGrundleCandy]

I love ur F7. Brian Burns might have been DROY if he actually played. He's a beast. I was very high on him coming out.

I couldn't be happier Cam is here. To go from Brady, his contract etc ... To Cam, a legit top 8-12 QB when healthy is something that doesn't happen often. Some in this fan base are too ignorant and spoiled to fully appreciate that tho.

We went from having the best QB in the Div by light years to miles. Again that's not something you see everyday so you have to give credit to Bill.

Ignore the obvious, uneducated nitpicking you've seen in some of the post. It's par for the course here. Most only watch the Pats play and are in a bubble if we're being honest. The nonsense about his hair and dress style are disrespectful imo. Almost as bad as the comments about his game.

I'm as excited as I've ever been. Esp after this pandemic. We have a top 5-10 defense. Top 10 OL. Great coaching staff. And Cam, who I was always high on. Coming out of the draft and now.

 

[Conflicted Panthers fan]

Biggest concern about Cam is his ability to learn the playbook in such a short time..

I wouldn’t be surprised if McDaniels just gives Cam 60-70% of the playbook to work with until he has time to fully be brought up to speed, with it being such a unique offseason with covid and all.

 

[Steve102]

Same here, a wee bit longer, but that was during the 1980s before the Panthers arrived, so the Charleston & Savannah papers covered mostly the Redskins & Falcons then...One can therefore picture our happiness at the arrival of USAToday & its all-teams coverage during the early '80s...

One question I have for CPF: Do you believe that Cam Newton has it in him to take his new job seriously, ditch the stupid, childish clothes & hair, and finally act as a mature adult & leader of this offense?

C'mon man. He's a fashionista. So what? Seriously. Can he win football games? I could give a chit about the hair and all that other BS. Flamboyant? Whatever. Win.

The stupid instagram font tho...

@Conflicted Panthers fan Welcome to the board. Nice to have the fresh insight. I think what my esteemed colleague might be trying to infer is do you see his flamboyance affecting his ability to draw guys in? Remember, this isn't his locker room yet. He's coming in fresh and, for lack of a better phase, doesn't have the pelts on his saddle (Bill Parcells-ism) to immediately carry the respect of guys with multiple rings. There's a bunch of guys in that locker room who know how to win. Can he mold himself to the Patriot Way?

Like you, I am excited to see what this guy will do with fresh coaching from BB and JMcD. I know he's coming in with a chip on his shoulder, and that will play well to the players. I truly hope he's 100% and we get to see what he can do with the best minds in the bizz coaching him.

 

[Conflicted Panthers fan]

I love ur F7. Brian Burns might have been DROY if he actually played. He's a beast. I was very high on him coming out.

I couldn't be happier Cam is here. To go from Brady, his contract etc ... To Cam, a legit top 8-12 QB when healthy is something that doesn't happen often. Some in this fan base are too ignorant and spoiled to fully appreciate that tho.

We went from having the best QB in the Div by light years to miles. Again that's not something you see everyday so you have to give credit to Bill.

Ignore the obvious, uneducated nitpicking you've seen in some of the post. It's par for the course here. Most only watch the Pats play and are in a bubble if we're being honest. The nonsense about his hair and dress style are disrespectful imo. Almost as bad as the comments about his game.

I'm as excited as I've ever been. Esp after this pandemic. We have a top 5-10 defense. Top 10 OL. Great coaching staff. And Cam, who I was always high on. Coming out of the draft and now.

Yeah Brian Burns lack of playing time was one of about 5,000 reasons I was so ready to fire Rivera.

And the ignorant takes on Cam are unfortunately to be expected. There are diehard Panthers fans with the exact same thinly veiled shots about maturity, leadership and wardrobe. At this point it’s just part of the package.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

I wouldn’t be surprised if McDaniels just gives Cam 60-70% of the playbook to work with until he has time to fully be brought up to speed, with it being such a unique offseason with covid and all.

Our playbook is among the toughest in the league. It's why so many receivers come here and fizzle...

 

[Conflicted Panthers fan]

C'mon man. He's a fashionista. So what? Seriously. Can he win football games? I could give a chit about the hair and all that other BS. Flamboyant? Whatever. Win.

The stupid instagram font tho...

@Conflicted Panthers fan Welcome to the board. Nice to have the fresh insight. I think what my esteemed colleague might be trying to infer is do you see his flamboyance affecting his ability to draw guys in? Remember, this isn't his locker room yet. He's coming in fresh and, for lack of a better phase, doesn't have the pelts on his saddle (Bill Parcells-ism) to immediately carry the respect of guys with multiple rings. There's a bunch of guys in that locker room who know how to win. Can he mold himself to the Patriot Way?

Like you, I am excited to see what this guy will do with fresh coaching from BB and JMcD. I know he's coming in with a chip on his shoulder, and that will play well to the players. I truly hope he's 100% and we get to see what he can do with the best minds in the bizz coaching him.

Thanks yeah as far as gelling with his new teammates, I really don’t think that will be an issue once they see how hard he’s willing to work day in and day out. He’ll have to earn that respect for sure, but I imagine he understands that. Cam has been THE guy on every team he’s ever played for, going back to pee wee football probably. As QB1, you need to be an alpha in a room full of alphas. As a ten year vet I think Cam will have no problem gaining the trust of the guys around him, and judging by social media posts from Pats players it seems like they are just as excited as most fans.

 

[BaconGrundleCandy]

Really wish this entire fan base was behind him. Enough about his hairstyle and clothes. Honestly that **** is borderline offensive. Let people be themselves. I'm trying to think of lowlights during his career and there aren't many things you can point to concerning leadership, accountability ...

At the very least our QB room is much better off. I remember saying this for the past 1.5 year but Bill was never handing the job to anyone post-Brady. Never. You knew a vet was coming and here it is. Hopefully Stid is anxious and excited as opposed to nervous and angry. If Cam is healthy we're a playoff team imo. If not, it was a hell of a deal for us and we see what Stid has. Who btw is plenty young enough to come out ok from all of this.

I think Cam can handle any playbook you throw at him pats fans. He's only a Heisman winning QB that won a title in college. Played in the SB with 10 years of NFL experience in multiple systems. Hit him up on Insta tho to drop tips.


For anyone that thinks he's soft bc of one play in the SB







Unfazed by the blitz and contact. I'm sure we all remember what a beast Hixon was.


Clips are ****ed but they're fun and I miss football so much.

 

[Triumph]

Do you like James Taylor?