Category Archives: Carolina Panthers
Cam Newton resurrected the career of Steve Smith
When the Carolina Panthers drafted quarterback Cam Newton in the first round of the 2011 NFL draft wide receiver Steve Smith must have been at least a tad bit worried. Smith, a Panther since he was drafted in the third round, has seen 11 different quarterbacks since his rookie year in 2001.
In his 11 NFL seasons he has had his ups and downs with the organization, but coming off his worst year statistically in 2010 and the uncertainty of what he was going to get with Cam Newton, there were not many that thought Smith would accomplish the season he did.
In 2011 Steve Smith did the following;
Cam Newton: Player profile
Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton still has his number of haters and those that doubt him, but his play during his rookie season left many of those naysayers with their mouth closed.
The former first round pick of the 2011 NFL Draft broke a number of records including the record for most passing yards in a debut and most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback.
The Panthers knew since week 16 of the 2010 NFL season that they would be able to select Cam Newton with the first pick of the 2011 NFL Draft, but no one thought we would see the type of performance he put up in the 2011 season.
Newton finished the season passing for 4,051 yards, 21 touchdowns through the air and 14 on the ground.
Will Jonathan Stewart be traded to the Browns?
The Carolina Panthers puzzled everyone on Monday by signing the bruiser Mike Tolbert to a four-year 8.4 million dollar contract. Adding a versatile running back to an already crowded backfield with Deangelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. I wondered why they would add another back when the Panthers for the last couple of years already had a speed back and bruiser. It makes you think, what do the Panthers actually need as draft day approaches?
2012 NFL draft: Possible selections for the Carolina Panthers
Cam Newton, the first overall pick last year had his share of doubters but throughout the 2011 NFL season there wasn’t much left to doubt.
Sure, his accuracy still leaves much to be desired, but there is no arguing the pure athleticism and upside that Newton brings to the Panthers offense.
2012 mock draft: NFC South edition
My Divisional Mock Draft break down takes us to the NFC South where it featured two teams in the NFC playoffs and both were unsuccessful in making it to the Super Bowl.
NFL Draft musings: top ten picks over the past decade
The 2011 NFL draft produced a lot of nice gems for teams to build on. When you consider the seasons that players like the Carolina Panthers’ Cam Newton, Cincinnati Bengals’ Andy Dalton, San Francisco 49ers’ Aldon Smith and Denver Broncos’ Von Miller had, this draft had to be one of the most productive drafts in a while. What’s even more remarkable is that these guys were able to have such incredible seasons despite having their offseason shortened due to the lockout.
The top ten players in a draft can tell you a lot about the talent level of that draft as a whole and the 2011 draft had one of the most productive collection of top ten players in a while.
Looking back over the past ten drafts I ran across a few notable trends that caught my attention. Here are just a few draft facts concerning top ten players over the past decade.
There has been at least one quarterback drafted in the top ten of every draft in the past decade. While that’s probably not a surprise, no other position had a player picked in all ten drafts. I dare you to pick the next two positions that were drafted the most years after the QB position.
If you guessed offensive tackle (9 years) and defensive tackle (7 years) then you are a true draftnik. The only time an offensive tackle wasn’t selected in the top ten was back in 2005 while a defensive tackle wasn’t selected in the top ten during the three year span from 2006-2008.
2011 was the only time in the past decade that three quarterbacks went in the top ten. That hadn’t happened since Tim Couch, Donovan McNabb and Akili Smith went 1, 2, 3 in the 1999 draft. Most would agree that McNabb had a pretty successful career while Couch and Smith flamed out. Could this year’s trio of Newton, Jake Locker and Blaine Gabbert follow suit? Only time will tell.
Although 2011 was the only time three quarterbacks were drafted in the top ten over the past decade, by comparison three offensive tackles have been drafted in the top ten twice and three wide receivers drafted in the top ten twice during the same time span.
Two wide receivers were drafted in the top ten of the 2011 draft. AJ Green and Julio Jones both had fabulous seasons but before you get the notion that drafting two receivers in the top ten is a rarity, at least two receivers went in the top ten six times over the past ten drafts.
There have only been seven running backs drafted in the top ten over the past decade and three of them were drafted in the same year. Ronnie Brown, Cedric Benson and Cadillac Williams were all top ten picks in the 2005 draft.
The NFL is definitely a passing league now making pass rushers and cover corners more of a necessity. That’s why it was strange to see that four straight years passed (2006-2009) without a corner going in the top ten during the past decade.
Pass rushers were drafted pretty frequently with eight defensive ends and eight outside linebackers drafted in the top ten over the past decade. Twelve defensive tackles were also drafted over that time span with more teams trying to get pressure up the middle.
The last time a tight end was drafted in the top ten was back in 2006. Most teams like to draft tight ends lower in the draft so the fact that only two tight ends were drafted in the top ten over the past ten years comes as no surprise. Can you name them both? That’s right. Kellen Winslow and Vernon Davis.
Looking back at the 100 top ten players drafted over the past decade it would seem that teams can’t go wrong when drafting an offensive or defensive tackle in the top ten. Quarterbacks have been hit-or-miss and drafting either a defensive back or a running back is usually a pretty risky proposition. These are just a few things to keep in mind if your favorite team just so happens to be drafting in the top ten of this years’ draft.
Roosevelt Hall is an NFL Featured Journalist for The Penalty Flag and NBA Featured Journalist for Shatter The Backboard. He can be contacted at RHall@ThePenaltyFlagBlog.com. You can also follow him on Twitter @sportmentalist.
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Spreading the Wealth: What Teams Could Adopt the Spread Offense in 2012
“Conventional knowledge” has always said that the spread offenses featured in the college game would never work in the NFL. However, the Denver Broncos, under Coach John Fox, proved different this year. The Broncos adopted the new system to better compliment quarterback Tim Tebow and ended up winning the AFC West and upsetting the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Wildcard round of the playoffs this year. Make no mistake, there are other teams in the NFL that could excel by utilizing this new trend of offense, especially teams with quarterbacks that have had trouble adapting to the pro-style. Here are some teams that would not surprise anyone if they used this new offense in 2012.
Carolina Panthers
- Cam Newton greatly excelled in college and junior college running this scheme, and since he has already established himself as a threat both throwing and running the ball teams would be put into a sticky situation trying to defend him. Compliment that with the one-two punch of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart running the ball and Steve Smith outside could be lethal. One catch here is that they are a fan of the two tight end sets with Jeremy Shockey and Greg Olsen, so the spread could be used as a compliment to their already established offense.
Philadelphia Eagles
- This would be the perfect way to get the fans excited and light a spark underneath the offense. Not to mention that Michael Vick and LeSean McCoy would give defenses nightmares! Also, arguably their top receiver, Jeremy Maclin, had success in the system in college. Inadvertently, this would help out their defense too if they decide to stick with their hybrid-nickel scheme with three corners.
Cleveland Browns
- Considering that Colt McCoy and their suspected target in the draft, Robert Griffin III, both had success in college running the spread, the change would make sense. The hang up here is that Pat Shurmur was the offensive coordinator for Sam Bradford in St. Louis and insisted on running the pro-style. Also, new offensive coordinator Brad Childress is also an advocate for the more conventional offensive scheme. However, with an offense that has Greg Little as its top receiver and a running game that will most likely be without Peyton Hillis, creativity is necessary to have success in the AFC North.
New England Patriots
- When have we ever known Bill Belichick to not love new trends, especially when it condones spreading the ball around in the passing game! In no way do I suggest that they will completely scrap the offense they have featured this year, but with Bill O’Brien leaving for Penn State some minor changes could occur. The most likely replacement for O’Brien is former offensive coordinator and Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels. McDaniels is already on the Patriots’ staff and started to feature the spread last year with the Rams to help out Sam Bradford.
Minnesota Vikings
- This could be an interesting endeavor for the Vikings. Christian Ponder showed signs of being a solid starter in this league, but they greatly overworked Adrian Peterson to make the rookie quarterback’s transition easier. With the spread, it would help Ponder in the passing game, give Adrian Peterson less but more effective carries, and would be better suited to fully utilize the skill set of Percy Harvin. Either way, they need to find a way to limit Peterson’s carries and further Ponder’s fragile progression as a starter in the NFL.
Detroit Lions
- How scary could this be? The passing game would open up further for Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson while also making the running load easier for Jahvid Best. In games against high powered offenses, the Lions seem to convert to a pass-first scheme anyway.
Miami Dolphins
- This is very contingent of them not signing Peyton Manning, but if they decide to stick it out with Matt Moore or sign Matt Flynn this could be a good option. The main reason is because this team had success running the Wildcat in the past and now with personnel like Reggie Bush and Steve Slaton, if they re-sign him, they could run the legs off of teams. Also, with the development of Devone Bess and Brian Hartline alongside Brandon Marshall this offense could put up some serious numbers.
St Louis Rams
- Josh McDaniels tried to implement this offense last year but wasn’t very successful. New coach, Jeff Fisher might try the same moving forward to cater to quarterback Sam Bradford’s strengths. Surely, there will still be pro-style sets since Fisher is old school and favors a run-first offense, which is well-equipped with running backs Stephen Jackson and Cadillac Williams. However, in the modern game you need your quarterback to be productive and the spread would seem to be the answer.
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Blaine Gabbert had a rough time showing any consistency in his rookie season, but coach Mike Mularkey is known for creating unique ways to get production out of his offenses. He will probably try to implement the same style of offense he featured in Atlanta, but considering the Jaguars biggest threat in the receiving game is tight end Marcedes Lewis they will have to effectively utilize the ground game. Also, Gabbert had success running the spread at the University of Missouri.
Steve Gross is a Featured Journalist for The Penalty Flag and can be contacted at SGross@ThePenaltyFlagBlog.com
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Top 10 NFL Stories of 2011
Another year has passed and in that year there has been no shortage of NFL story lines. Starting with a Green Bay Packers Super Bowl Championship run and ending with Tim Tebow and “Tebow-mania” the NFL has been full of surprises in 2011. We thought it may have been a dream for the Philadelphia Eagles but instead the Detroit Lions could be the “Dream Team.” These are the stories that shook us, took us and brought us on a journey for the year of 2011 in the NFL.
10. Al Davis
Al Davis of the Oakland Raiders had his moments, but when all is said and done, he is still a man who will be missed in the National Football League. Raider Nation lost their leader this season when Al Davis passed away at age 82. The long-time owner of the Raiders helped reshape professional football and allowed it to become the juggernaut that it is today.
Davis showed diversity as a coach, general manager and owner of the Oakland Raiders. He briefly left in 1966 to become the commissioner of the AFL to battle the NFL and would spur a championship game between the two, which later became the Super Bowl.
9. Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles used the shortened off-season to bring in a ton of new faces to make a run at the Super Bowl. One may have thought Dan Synder took over the team, but instead it was completely opposite from what the Eagles usually have done over their stellar years with Andy Reid at the helm. Front office members stated the team was “all-in” and many predicted a fast start leading to the playoffs. Vince Young, a back up quarterback for the Eagles, is credited with the creation of the “Dream Team” name, but this team is anything but. They didn’t even make the playoffs?
Let’s also not forget about the commotion wide receiver Desean Jackson caused by missing meetings and showing his anger at the front office for lack of a contract, Michael Vick’s injury that kept him out of a number of games, and even fans turning on long-time coach Andy Reid chanting “fire Andy!” Yes, the Eagles were nothing but a complete mess in 2011, but made for a number of great stories.
8. Free Agent Frenzy
Due to the NFL lockout the Free Agency period was pushed into a two-week circus that had some huge names trading places. Every time you checked the news someone else had signed, yes usually with the Eagles. A few names stood out and contributed to their team’s success. Johnathan Joseph made a huge impact in a new Wade Phillips defense for the Houston Texans, Darren Sproles re-sparked the New Orleans Saints offense, Willis McGahee sparked the Denver Broncos rushing attack. Maybe the NFL should look into condensing the free agency period to two weeks?
7. Cam Newton
The Carolina Panthers selected Cam Newton number one in the 2011 NFL draft and although we knew the choice many of us believed it was because they felt they “had” to choose him. His college stories and father who wouldn’t stay out of things led to an interesting final collegiate year for the Heisman trophy winner. None the less he took his talents to Carolina and instantly made a difference. In his first week Cam set a NFL rookie passing record and when all was said and done he broke a number of Panther’s records, NFL rookie records and NFL records.
Cam broke the NFL rookie record for passing yards and now owns the record for most rushing touchdowns in one season by a quarterback. Despite his lack of accuracy Newton has taken a dismal Carolina offense and made them legit. He has even resurrected the career of Steve Smith who is having a stellar year thanks to Newton. The future is now bright for Carolina and Cam Newton.
6. Detroit Lions
Most of us saw this one coming, but only about 10% of us actually believed it was going to happen. For the first time since 1999 the Detroit Lions have made the playoffs. According to AP News, Head coach Jim Schwartz stated “There’s going to be a time that we don’t celebrate getting to the playoffs, but it’s not going to be tonight. It’s been a long time coming.”
They started the 2011 season on a tear winning their first five games with key victories over the Dallas Cowboys and Chicago Bears. Matt Stafford was finally healthy and the result was a prolific passing attack featuring Calvin Johnson. The Lions were fourth in passing averaging 288 yards per-game and would propel them to a 10 win season.
5. Green Bay Packers and Indianapolis Colts
As the weeks went on we thought we might get to see the improbable. The defending Super Bowl champions were on a quest to become the first team to finish the regular season 16-0 and win the Super Bowl while the Peyton Manning-less Colts were just trying to win one game. In one swift week the dreams of many would come trampling down as the Colts won and the Packers lost.
The Packers’ 19-game winning streak, second longest in NFL history, was snapped with a 19-14 loss at Kansas City, a team that was routed by 27 points last weekend, then fired its coach.
On the same day the Colts’ losing streak was stopped at 14 as they would beat the Tennessee Titans to avoid moving closer to an 0-16 record.
That Sunday was the third time in NFL history that a team without a loss was beaten and a team without a win was victorious on the same day at least 11 games into a season.
4. Packers win Superbowl
The Green Bay Packers never trailed the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLV and became the second sixth seed to ever win the Super Bowl.
Led by MVP Aaron Rodgers, who completed 24 of 39 passes for 304 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions, the Packers converted three costly Pittsburgh turnovers into touchdowns before one of the largest crowds in NFL history at Cowboys Stadium.
3. Peyton Manning
It started a few weeks before opening kickoff of the 2011 NFL season and will continue at least until the 2012 NFL draft. What in the world is going on with Peyton Manning? Speculation started when an injury to his neck would cause him to have a third surgery in 19 months. Manning would miss the 2011 NFL season and the Colts would plummet to a two win season.
Colt’s owner Jim Irsay needs to kick a Twitter habit as his tweets have become a laughing matter as the Colts went back and forth on taking future number one pick, Andrew Luck.
Will they, won’t they…what will happen to Peyton? Will the Colts trade Peyton Manning and move towards the future by selecting Luck or will they trade the pick and build around Peyton who could still have a few years left?
The answer lies in the health of Manning. Something we aren’t sure of just yet.
2. NFL Lockout
You bastards! Shame on you for making us miss two preseason games and even worse threatening to cancel the 2011 NFL season. Owners and players left the most popular sport in jeopardy as they were unable how to divide nine billion dollars a year and broke off labor negotiations hours before their collective bargaining agreement expired. The union decertified and 10 players, including MVP quarterbacks Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, sued the owners in federal court in Minneapolis. At midnight, the owners responded by locking out the players which created the NFL’s first work stoppage since 1987 and putting the 2011 season in limbo.
After four and a half months, the NFL lockout came to an end, with the player representatives and NFLPA executive committee agreeing to a settlement of a new collective bargaining deal, the terms of which the 32 owners had approved.
1. Tim Tebow
How can Tim Tebow not be the number one story of 2011? Not only is just Tim Tebow a story but it has branched off into different directions. “Tebow Time” has been made up for his incredible comeback performances against the Dolphins, Jets, and Bears. “Tebowing” is where you take one knee in a random place like Tim Tebow does when he prays after a game. Even Saturday Night Live and Tosh.O have made skits designed to make fun of Tim Tebow. Yes, the world is Tim Tebow crazy in 2011.
Turn on the radio, television, or read news on the internet. Odds are you will find a Tim Tebow story. His religion, accuracy, lack of passing, how he makes a great running back, full back, tight end, or how he is changing the game of football. Everything in 2011 has been about Tim Tebow and it is just beginning.
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A Quarterback’s Body Language Speaks Louder Than Words
Actions speak louder than words and in Cam Newton’s case his body language during the fourth quarter of games speaks volumes. So much so that two of his teammates felt the need to talk to him about it. Newton speaking to the media a few days after their win against the Houston Texans had this to say:
“I have a bad tendency of showing my emotions on my face. I have to change it, and I’m trying to change it…You’ve got to be that same leader from the first quarter to the last quarter.”
To his credit, Newton hadn’t lost many games before he became the Carolina Panthers’ starting quarterback. Although he vowed not to become accustomed to losing after the Panthers’ first couple of losses, his body language in the fourth quarter of games told another story altogether.
Especially when games got tight or the Panthers’ would lose momentum during the second half of games. It wouldn’t be long before Carolina got behind and you would see Newton sitting on the bench sulking with a towel over his head.
You can definitely see a difference in Newton’s demeanor the past couple of games though. As Houston was threatening to make a comeback, Newton was working to fire up the troops instead of allowing himself to get down like he normally would. He would lead the Panthers on a scoring drive in the fourth quarter that would essentially end all hopes of a Texans’ comeback.
Newton’s turnaround underscores an element of the quarterback position that isn’t spoken about as much but has come into play very often this season. With all the emphasis placed on a quarterback’s statistics, accuracy and mechanics there isn’t nearly enough emphasis placed on their leadership capabilities.
Leadership is more than just the ability to call plays and take command of a huddle, it also encompasses what a quarterback does when he is off the field. Does a quarterback stay involved in the game or does he go sit in a corner away from his teammates? Is he quick to berate a teammate for a mistake or offer encouragement? Is he even-keeled or is he moody?
Just look at how much scrutiny Jay Cutler faced when his Chicago Bears fell to the Green Bay Packers during last year’s playoffs. Cutler left the game with a knee injury but would later be spotted along the sideline just sitting off to himself for the remainder of the game.
Cutler wasn’t faulted for being injured but many people were upset that he didn’t seem to show any interest in what his team was doing out on the field. This was an important game for the Bears and they had a chance to pull it out and advance to the Super Bowl but Cutler didn’t make any attempt to help rally his teammates or at least help give guidance to his backup Caleb Hanie.
On the other side of that coin you have a quarterback like Tim Tebow. Tebow wore a microphone for ESPN during the Denver Broncos overtime win versus the Chicago Bears a few weeks back. Tebow’s motivational abilities were on display for all the world to see.
After Demaryius Thomas dropped a critical pass, the microphones picked up Tebow on the sidelines telling Thomas that he would get a chance to redeem himself later and that Thomas would catch the game winning catch. Thomas did redeem himself by catching the Broncos’ only touchdown pass of the game.
Tebow also gave encouraging words to members of his defense. He never seems to look down no matter how bad things look on the field and he was even smiling during the press conference after his team’s lopsided loss to the Buffalo Bills, courteously answering every question asked by the media.
You don’t necessarily have to be a rah-rah type like Tebow to be considered a good leader though. I just wanted to show examples of people who are on different ends of the leadership spectrum. Most often coaches look for those “cool operators” like Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees. Guys who exude confidence and have a calming presence during times of adversity.
Joe Montana had a reputation for being this type of leader. Joe Cool as he was called was dangerous in the fourth quarter of games and is one of the all-time best comeback artists to ever play the quarterback position. As a matter of fact, Comeback Joe was another one of his nicknames.
Cool operators like the guys I mentioned above are game-changers. Not only do they inspire confidence in their teammates, they strike fear in the hearts of opposing defenses. When games are close in the fourth quarter, opposing defenses know that these guys can pull out a win for their teams.
Don’t take my word for it though. The next time you get to see Brady, Rodgers or Brees in action pay very close attention to their body language. Then watch the body language of the opposing team’s quarterback and defense towards the end of the game. I guarantee you will notice a difference.
Roosevelt Hall is an NFL Featured Journalist for The Penalty Flag and can be contacted at RHall@ThePenaltyFlagBlog.com. Follow him on Twitter @rhall_tpfb.
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Run Forest Run: Tebow, Vick and Newton Causing Fits for NFL Defenses
Running quarterbacks. They are truly a defensive coordinator’s worst nightmare. Just when you think you have them in your clutches they pull off some nifty move and dart up field for a big gain. Just when you think a team is going to go three and out someone like Tim Tebow, Cam Newton or Michael Vick will move the chains by making a play with their feet.
It’s not like defensive coordinators don’t plan for things like that. Defensive coordinators like to assign “spies” or “rovers” to keep these guys in check but it rarely works. You just have to cross your fingers and hope your offense can outscore their offense or hope that guy just has a bad day.
Cause on a bad day you might get a 13-yard rushing performance like Tebow had in last Sunday’s win versus the Minnesota Vikings or the 18-yard rushing game Newton had in his very first game of the season. You might even get a 25-yard performance like the one Michael Vick had in a loss to the Falcons. Vick even lost two fumbles in that game.
But low and behold if you catch them on a good day. You know, one of those days that defensive coordinators relive over and over in their sleep. Days like the three-touchdown rushing performance Newton had in a win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. Days like the 118-yard rushing day Tebow had in a win over the Oakland Raiders in Oakland a month ago. Even a day like Michael Vick had running for 97 yards with only 11 carries in a win versus the St. Louis Rams.
Days when nothing a defensive coordinator throws at these guys seems to work. Even when you think you have slowed Tebow down and the game is within reach, you look up and he has torched you with two passing touchdowns to seal the game.
You can see the effect these guys have when they are in the game. The Panthers are the eighth best scoring team in the league this year scoring 24.2 points-per-game with Cam Newton at the helm. Last year they were dead last scoring only 12.2 points-per-game. If the Carolina Panthers’ defense could stop anybody this team could be playoff-bound.
The Denver Broncos were only 1-4 before inserting Tebow into the lineup. They have gone 6-1 since inserting Tebow as a starter and are tied with the Oakland Raiders for the division lead. Denver’s scoring only improved by .6 of a point with Tebow starting but Tebow takes care of the ball and the defense has shaved seven points off the 28 points-per-game they were giving up before he became quarterback.
Philadelphia hasn’t had quite the success they had last season but the offense has produced points and the Eagles are the second best rushing team in the league behind….yeah you guessed it; the Denver Broncos. Philadelphia’s defense has been terrible but that doesn’t obscure the fact that Vick needs to take better care of the ball. He has thrown 11 interceptions so far this year as opposed to six interceptions all of last season. He has also matched his total for lost fumbles from last season with three so far this year.
But the blueprint is there and teams know they can score with running quarterbacks running the show. Conversely, defenses have recognized how hard it is to defend against these guys. Don’t believe me? Just ask the sleep-deprived defensive coordinators they will be facing this week.
Roosevelt Hall is an NFL Featured Journalist for The Penalty Flag and can be contacted at RHall@ThePenaltyFlagBlog.com. Follow him on Twitter @rhall_tpfb.
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Which NFL rookie QB is head of the class in 2011?
“With the first pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the Carolina Panthers select, Cam Newton, quarterback, Auburn.” With those words the Carolina Panthers hoped that they had selected a quarterback in which they could build their future and franchise around. The truth of the matter is that there are no guarantees when it comes to any NFL Draft pick. Joe Montana was drafted in the third round by the San Francisco 49ers and Tom Brady was the 199th pick overall taken by the New England Patriots in the sixth round. Combined Montana and Brady have played in eight Super Bowls with seven titles between them. On the other hand, Tim Couch, David Carr, and JaMarcus Russell, were all taken No. 1 overall and their careers never amounted to anything. This season, four rookie quarterbacks drafted in the first two rounds are starting for their respective NFL teams. At the halfway point of their inaugural season, who’s head of the class and who’s barely making the grade? You might be somewhat surprised.
Cam can break NFL rookie records
Don’t look now haters of Cam Newton because Cam can break NFL rookie records.
Cam Newton of the Carolina Panthers has just broken the record for most passing yards in a week one debut held by none other than Peyton Manning.
The rookies’ performance has kept the Panthers ahead of the Cardinals and newly acquired quarterback Kevin Kolb.
