The good, the bad and another Panthers loss

I watched Cam Newton live for the first time yesterday against the Falcons and while several aspects of his game are impressive, the Panthers as a team have to find a way to win games rather than simply remain competitive.

The Good: Newton, who grew up near the Georgia Dome, threw for 237 yards and showed a Michael Vick-like ability to escape tackles and scramble for positive yardage. For example, he eluded a sure sack by the Falcons’ Abraham and then on the same drive outran Atlanta’s perimeter defense for a 14-yard run into the endzone. I also give style points to his ensuing tribute dance to “neon” Deion Sanders who was honored at halftime. Unlike fellow hyped collegians like Ryan Leaf and Reggie Bush, Newton is definitely the real deal making the Panthers an exciting team to watch, especially given the importance of the QB position in football.

The Bad: Three interceptions thrown by Newton including a crucial one late in the 4th quarter (caught by enormous defensive tackle Corey Peters who looked like a tight end on the play) that sealed the game for the Falcons. Most quarterbacks find pressure difficult to handle (poor Jay Cutler must wonder whether he’ll finish a game in one piece given the state of the Bears’ offensive line) but Newton looked a bit nervous in the pocket when he didn’t have a good look downfield.

The Ugly: The Panthers defense let Michael Turner run the ball a season-high 27 times resulting in two TDs. On the flip side, it’s not a good sign when your QB is the team’s leading rusher as was the case for the Panthers. Finally, the Falcons “D” managed to hold top receiver Steve Smith to 5 catches for only 66 yards.

Ultimately, the Panthers are a better team with Newton but they need to execute better to win games. Given the highly competitive NFC South, I don’t see Carolina finishing any higher than last place (their current record is 1-5) but at least they have a guaranteed seat-filler in Newton and some hope for the future!

Photo by David Foster at the Charlotte Observer

Not a great few weeks for the NFL

NFL bigwigs must be wishing for a time machine so that they could return to the post-Super Bowl euphoria of the Packers storybook triumph over the equally storied Steelers. Because the last few weeks haven’t been great, starting with the suicide of former Bears safety Dave Duerson. His death was a tragedy not only for his immediate family but in the broader sense, signaled the beginning of a very disturbing time for current and former players. Most media outlets have reported that he shot himself in the heart rather than the head to preserve his brain tissue for further study. Specifically, he wanted to prove the existence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy or CTE, a degenerative brain disease potentially linked to suicide which may be caused by the heavy hits taken by NFL players. This is obviously also a problem for the NHL for the same reason and in fact, recently deceased fighter Bob Probert was found to have CTE. I know that both leagues want this issue to go away because part of the appeal of both sports is violent contact. You only need to look at the latest video game releases for evidence of that. But the safety issues must be addressed – maybe resulting in better headgear? – in parallel with Boston University’s research rather than simply waiting for the final outcome which could take years.

 

Duerson at Bears Reunion Party in 2001. Photo courtesy of Chicago Sun-Times

 

The second negative item isn’t as dire obviously but the whole “Cam Newton Experience” at the recent NFL combine was beyond annoying. Newton hasn’t played a single down in pro football but he’s already anointed himself “an entertainer and an icon” in an interview to Peter King of Sports Illustrated. Maybe it’s just me but I’m sensing another Ryan Leaf situation – I don’t mind confidence but this sounds like arrogance especially given his so-so performance during the actual throwing portion of the combine (sound bytes during interviews don’t win games!). The NFL is played at an entirely different level than what the Oregon Ducks, as good as they were, threw at him in the Championship game!

The third and final (so far) piece is the ongoing saga of labor talks which may or may not lead to a lockout. It’s hard for me to muster sympathy for either side honestly but I sincerely hope a deal gets done because the thought of replacement players or worse no season at all is not a pleasant one!

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