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Cam Newton's career with the Carolina Panthers has been marred by one word: inconsistency. He can show flashes of brilliance as a player (2015 NFL MVP), then can become unreliable in the next moment (2016 NFL season).
The Panthers quarterback's career can also be defined by another word: toughness. Newton has had the opportunity to miss games due to injury, but his strong will has led him back to the field. In eight seasons, he has only missed five games.
So heading into Week 1 of the NFL season, can we expect Newton to match consistency with toughness? Their matchup this Sunday is against the Los Angeles Rams.
The Rams naturally will pose a challenge for Newton. In the secondary, he will face Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib, two Pro Bowl corners. The Rams will attempt to put pressure on Newton to make tight-window throws.
But on the front seven, he will have to go against the games best defensive player in Aaron Donald.
Donald led the league with 20.5 sacks last season. He will surely look to start his season off right with Newton on the ground a few times.
While the Rams will be a tough matchup, Newton has tremendous upside to be successful.
Last season, Newton completed a career-high 67.5 percent of his passes, throwing 24 touchdowns. It was the first time he crossed the 60 percent threshold since 2013, and his most passing touchdowns since 2015. And while he was shut down the last two games, the hiring of Norv Turner proved to be a success.
In reality, the reason so many athletes perform to their abilities is that they have a coach who puts them in position to succeed. Think Steph Curry and Steve Kerr, Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, or even Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid. While each athlete was gifted in their own right, sometimes the magic happens when the right coach is paired with them.
For Week 1, we can expect Turner to continue to let Newton make an impact through the air. Turner has spent time this offseason fine-tuning Newton's mechanics and footwork, primarily getting Newton to focus more on pushing his front foot forward to drive his throws. Newton has based his entire career on throwing off his back foot. While it has worked for the most, it has also hindered his development to become an All-Pro passer on an annual basis.
But in the end, the retirement of Andrew Luck immediately put the health and mind of Newton in focus.
Per Al.com, Newton has taken 38 percent more hits than any other quarterback since he entered the league in 2011. Hopefully, Newton can be more aware of that physical toll, starting Week 1 as mentally strong as he's ever been. Luck's retirement caught many by surprise, but it was understandable nonetheless. He was tired of always suffering injury, going through rehab, and then repeating the process over and over.
Newton's story sounds similar, but he's proven to be more durable. However, the toll of rehab and injury can push anyone to a breaking point. As Newton is approaching the end of his contract, it's impossible to gloss over the possibility that another subpar, injury-plagued season could also drive him into early retirement.
But for Week 1, let's hope that the health and talent of Newton will parlay into a win over the Rams. But also, for coach Turner to put Newton in position to succeed, but also to retain his health, too.
