NFL Rewind: MVP Cam Newton
The Godfather, you won’t find a young NFL Quarterback who doesn’t revere Cam Newton. Why? Because he walked, so they could run. Black QB’s are flourishing, Cam Newton was the catalyst. We’ll look back at his incredible MVP Run, and how he came up just short in the Big Game.
We are currently watching the Golden Era of the Mobile Quarterback. We must not forget who came before.
Quarterbacks like Warren Moon, Randall Cunningham, Steve Young and Michael Vick paved the way for this skill position to be played in a different and unique style.
Then came Cam Newton.
A 6 foot 5, 245 lb goliath behind center had never been seen before in the National Football League. Cam was the size of a defensive end, with a rocket arm and elusivity that resembled running backs. To put it lightly, he took the league by storm.
In 2016, Cam Newton was voted in by his peers to be the #1 player in the Annual NFL Top 100.
Photo From: 247 Sports
He threw for 35 Touchdowns in the regular season, one less than Tom Brady...but he ran for 10 more.
The greatest compliment an individual can get is from their peers, the league respected him. Cam had fun on the field, reminding everyone that at the end of the day...it’s just a game. When Cam found the end zone, he paired his flashy touchdown celebrations with gracious gestures (handing boys & girls the game ball). These actions constantly resulted in fines by the NFL, but Cam didn’t care. Supercam is FTK.
The NFL MVP Race was not even close. Everyone knew Cam Newton could be a dynamic mobile player, the question is whether he could learn to accurately and effectively throw from inside the pocket.
The answer was yes.
Including the playoffs, Cam Newton was responsible for 50 touchdowns.
Wide Receivers
Who was he throwing the ball to?
Following Kelvin Benjamin’s season ending injury, Cam turned the utility wide receivers on the Panthers into Pro Bowl candidates. Greg Olsen was his life-line. If all else went wrong...you still had Greg for the 8 yard dump down. Somehow, the Panthers finished with the #1 offense in the entire league. The sheer impact Cam had on this team, rivaled that of great basketball players.
Cam was beloved, but not by everybody. For every person that loved his antics, there was another that despised it. Cam was the most polarizing player in the National Football League.
Unbeatable Panthers?
In Week 10, Carolina hosted Tennessee. This was peak SuperCam. The Panthers were 8-0 heading into this game, with every intention of protecting home field.
They did just that. The Panthers beat the Titans 27-10.
Cam Newton’s Game Stats:
Passing: 21/25 for 217 + 1 TD
Rushing: 9 rushes for 23 yards + 1 TD
In the post-game press conference, Cam had these words to say:
“I heard somebody say, we’re not going to allow you to [celebrate]…um but if you don’t like me to do it then, don’t let me in”
The Panthers were 9-0 and on top of the world. But the league learned…the Panthers had a weak spot.
Sometimes something you thought was the most brutal aspect of the virus, turns out to be the chink in its armor. And it loves to disguise its weaknesses and strengths…it’s a b—ch.
In this game, the offensive line did not play great. Cam Newton was sacked 5 times for a total loss of 33 yards on those plays.
Super Bowl 50
This was a historic year for the NFL. It was the 50th season since the inception of the Super Bowl. It was fitting. One team was led by an older Hall of Fame pocket passing quarterback, while the other was led by a young, electric improvisor who sought out contact.
Photo From: Vox
I encourage Cam critics to go back and watch this game. It was apparent, the Broncos had a game plan that started with their own best player, Von Miller.
The pass rush realized that they could use Cam’s strength against him. With an exceptional secondary, the Broncos were able to get early pressure on Cam, severely limiting the use of Cam’s improvisation.
Peyton Manning was amazing and will always be in my Top 5 QB’s of All-Time. But let it be known, he did not win them that game. It was a defensive effort.
As we saw in this most recent Super Bowl, not even Patrick Mahomes can win a game without having reliable offensive line play.
The Cam love fest has to be balanced with slander.
Why didn’t he dive on that ball?
I was asking myself that same question when this game occurred. I still do not have an answer.
Cam Corleone
The respect throughout the league that Cam receives is warranted. He made the headlines day in and day out, constantly getting criticized by both local and national media for his antics. He was just having fun. The league saw that he was the scapegoat, and in response, they wouldn’t allow people to speak down on his name.
The Future of the NFL
Looking around the league, it seems as if the bad teams have still found their franchise quarterback. The parity at the quarterback position is unbelievably balanced. Pocket passers such as Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers and Ryan Tannehill still thrive, while the younger generation is leaning toward hybrid mixes of playing style.
Quarterbacks like Kyler Murray, Pat Mahomes, Justin Herbert, Josh Allen and more are utilizing their feet as another weapon. With film and tape to watch from the greats that came before them, who knows how high the ceiling is?
All I know is…Tampa Bay by a milli. Brady is going for 8.
Photo From: The Denver Post
Tampa is bringing back the crew…
Stay tuned for Tampa: Byke to Byke
Coming to you soon…