I like the Bucs color scheme, font notwithstanding. I don't see them play much either and it just looks like their helmet stickers were gi-normous.
Thoughts on Cam? IMO, you gotta let him be the player he is (he was so good at Auburn because he ran to set up the pass) or you gotta consider having a Plan B. I do not think a static pocket-passer-only CN is good enough to be a franchise QB. A dynamic Cam that runs AND throws? Yes, absolutely good enough.
He's taking a lot of shots so having him move around to throw (with the threat of running) might help. I can't imagine it would hurt his accuracy since he has been bad about throwing off his back foot while still in the pocket, and sailing his passes. I'm just not sure he needs to have so many designed runs and continue taking hard hits all season long. He's a big dude, but those shots have got to be taking their toll.
Here's my thing though... you say you don't want him taking hits when running (which is the conventional view everyone generally has and is the main reason cited for not letting QBs run), but I think in Cam's case, this is wrong. He is so big and so powerful, that IMO he's way, way more likely to take a hard hit in the pocket than he is when running. When running, he turns into a bruising RB who generally dishes out a bigger hit than he receives. When he's standing static in the pocket, he's open season for Von Miller's facemask.
Yeah, basically I agree with all that. I was thinking at least move him around more , rollouts , etc more often to get him additional time and be less likely to get clobbered in the pocket. My thought is that his accuracy while throwing on the run can't be any worse than it was this past season.
Totally agree with the accuracy part. His accuracy was terrible this season. If anything, it could be better while on the run (like he's shown in past season). This simply could boil down to he's a better player instinctually than when he has time to think about things. You see this phenomenon in soccer with strikers. Some forwards can't finish when they have time to think about what they're doing and have time on the ball. But when it's a split-second chance, their instincts take over and they finish with the best of them. Could be the same with Cam. He may just feel it better when playing on the run and improvising a bit more.
While all that is possible, it's gonna require some serious coaching up this offseason, and I'm just not sure that either: 1> the Panthers have the coaches to get the job done, or 2> Cam is receptive to it. He really needs to break down his mechanics and start over from scratch... that throwing off his back foot crap has got to stop.
You're using some revisionist history, my friend. Cam Newton's 2010 Auburn statistics:
Which is NOT what's happening. I'm not saying he should run as much as Michael Vick. But he needs to run the ball a decent amount. At least 8 times a game, at least.
I was going to disagree after your first poast, but when you say 8 times a games I could live with that. I wouldn't want him getting more than maybe 12 carries though.
Right, but the 8-12 carries need to be a hybrid of designed runs and plays where he just creates something on his own. With that number of carries, it should be enough to create big plays / convert key first downs.
Are teams allowed to make trades at this point in the season, especially playoff teams?
I doubt he would; Falcons just don't move the meter like Patriots or Packers do. My bet is on
Why? I strongly dislike the Falcons but I don't know how anyone can dislike Matt Ryan. He's as professional as they come.
Somebody had to win that sorry-ass division; they have a good D (supposably).
