The_Guardian_-_2016-12-29

necktie on Panthers’ flight to Seattle
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Newton’s MVP season last year was defined by his ability to transcend his situation. Nobody in the
league lost more yards to receiver error than Newton did last season. In fact nobody was close.
Newton lost at least 836 yards and seven touchdowns to receiver error last year, Ryan Tannehill was
closest to him in lost yards with 717, more than 100 fewer. Only Rodgers lost more touchdowns.
Newton lost so many yards because he was expected to consistently push the ball downfield to
receivers such as Ted Ginn and Devin Funchess. Funchess couldn’t catch anything over the first half
of the season while Ginn consistently dropped perfect passes more than 30 yards downfield. Despite
the inconsistencies of his receivers, Newton still finished the season with 3,837 passing yards, 35
passing touchdowns, 10 interceptions, 636 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns.
He carried a Panthers offense that had limited weapons but also no pass protection.
Michael Oher and Mike Remmers were the Panthers’ starting offensive tackles last season. Neither
player – no matter what their backstory – is a viable starter in the NFL. The coaching staff appeared
to recognize this and schemed an offense that took pressure off of individual blockers and piled it
onto Newton. They did this by keeping extra bodies in pass protection, giving Newton fewer
receivers running downfield. With fewer receivers Newton had to anticipate how routes would
develop against coverage and throw into tighter windows. He couldn’t stand and wait for someone to
come wide open, he had to help them get open because his receivers were always badly outnumbered
if the defense didn’t send a heavy blitz.
So far this season, Newton has 3,272 passing yards in 14 games but just 18 touchdowns to 11
interceptions with 353 rushing yards and five touchdowns. The primary reason for Newton’s
lackluster passing numbers has been his supporting cast.
Cam Newton is right: officials treat him
differently than other quarterbacks
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An already bad supporting cast was hit with injuries on the offensive line. Both Oher and Remmers
have missed time this year which has led to the Panthers starting Trai Turner at right tackle. Turner is
an outstanding young guard, but he is a big-bodied run blocker who isn’t built to play in space. Asking
him to play right tackle has proven to be a huge problem. Turner has repeatedly been exposed in pass
protection, piling the pressure onto Newton. If Turner was the only problem on the line Newton
would have a chance to mask his mismatches but that hasn’t been the case. Turner’s move not only
made right tackle a liability it also made right guard a problem through his absence. Regular starting
center Ryan Kalil is an All-Pro caliber player – but he has only played in eight games this year. His