One of the biggest question marks coming into the NFL season was whether or not Cam Newton would return to his 2015 NFL MVP form. In less then five days, we may have found our answer already.
The Carolina Panthers entered Thursday night's game against the Buccaneers needing a win to get the team back on track from Sunday's 30-27 loss to the Rams. Newton also needed Thursday to prove that he had some magic left. Newton wasn't bad, but he wasn't great either. And but after a 24-50 throwing outing in the Panthers 20-14 loss. the magic from 2015 could be all but gone.
Which leaves the Panthers in the predicament where they must ask themselves: where do they go from here?
Newton is 30, and while he claims he's back healthy, is still battered from years of hits. And those years of hits have messed with his confidence. If you judge from his Thursday night performance, it may be evident his confidence is fading again.
But can we blame him? Years of rehabbing himself from a plethora of injuries including his shoulder to try to get back to the top of the NFL. And keep in mind, this isn't just someone trying to just be healthy to play on his city flag football team. This is someone trying to be the best he can be to fulfill his five years, 100 million dollar contract. Always easy to have comments on the outside looking in.
Sounds like Andrew Luck, right?
But moving forward, the Panthers owe it to Cam to at least wait until just around midseason before they make any drastic moves. Newton's shoulder looks fine, as evidence to his 50 throws Thursday night. However, we won't know until time reveals more as the season goes by. What could be a confidence issue could very well be a shoulder injury that will never heal/wore out again.
In the end, the Panthers ultimately has to put the quarterback on the field who gives them the best chance to win. Athletically on paper, it will always be Cam Newton. When fully healthy and engaged, Newton can be an unstoppable force via the run and pass attack. But in the last eight games that Newton has started for the Panthers, he is winless. Additionally, he has five carries for -2 yards throughout his two contests this season. Maybe, the Panthers are bracing Panthers fans and spectators for a new reality thats setting forward, and it's only a matter of time before it becomes permanent.
In the meantime, we as spectators can only stick to speculating. The good news is that the losses suffered with Cam at the helm were within a touchdown. Maybe it's just offensive line protection that should be ramped up. Or that Newton simply needs to take his time. Or maybe they need a full week (and a half in this instance) to recover from an NFL game grind. But whatever the true answer is, will be revealed soon. Hopefully, the Panthers and Cam will turn it around before it gets too late. As for Newton, let's hope it's not too late to save a promising career.
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