Sir Purr
Well-known member
- Mar 16, 2019
- 1,969
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What is your assessment of Luke Kuechly over the years?
I think he is a great player. I have so much respect for Luke. Just the type of competitor he is and then also, you watch and see the cerebral approach he takes to the game, the way that he prepares, the way he can communicate to his other 10 teammates and recognize things. When you got the elite above the neck approach and then you have the talent and the athleticism to match up, I think you get a player like him who is a special difference maker who is going to be a great challenge for our offense. Those are the things you always talk about. I think he is one of those guys that he uses every opportunity to learn and really bank it in the memory bank of experience he has. You can see he draws on it consistently and I think that’s why he is able to anticipate and play at such a high level snap-in and snap-out.
How difficult is it trying to defend for Christian McCaffrey and his versatility and the prowess he offers as a receiver out of the backfield?
It’s a nightmare. He is a great football player. We were huge fans of him coming out of Stanford and you see why you guys drafted him when you did and then the production has matched up. Just the versatility. When you got a guy who can make an impact on the game in so many different ways, it’s a nightmare to prepare for. You have to account for where he is at. He is a big play waiting to happen. The problem is you don’t know if it’s in the pass or the run game. Then he will compete without the ball as well. It’s going to be a great challenge for our defense like we have said, and you see why he is one of the premier backs in this league.
Have you had any interaction over the years with Cam Newton?
I’ve said hello to him here or there. You know, he is from the Atlanta area. I was a little bit older than him, but I remember watching him do his thing. I was a couple years ahead of Cam but I always admired him as a competitor. He is an impressive player when you watch him and then you see him up close and personal and he is even that much more impressive. I wouldn’t say we have had too much interaction, but I know Chris Shula, our outside linebackers coach, his uncle Mike was on the staff and loved Cam. You feel like you kind of know him just because you hear so many great stories about the way he has been over the last handful of years.
Is there a style of play that most adequately descriptive of what Cam Newton can do?
I would say no because there is so many things that he can do. He can beat you with his legs. He can beat you with his arm. He can make plays in the pocket. He can make plays outside the pocket. He can run over you. He can shake you. He can run away from you. In terms of the limitations physically, there are none. He can really do it all. He is a smart player that has a bunch of experience. Anytime you are talking about a guy that was a run-away MVP player within the last couple years, it’s a nightmare to prepare for. I think really his career and his production speaks for itself.
Are you going to test out Cam Newton’s ability to throw deep Week 1 because of his injury last season?
Its hard to say this because so much of what offenses do dictates a defense’s response. We just want to play sound, fundamental football. We want to make sure we do a great job communicating. We know all the problems that he can pose as the quarterback. Not to mention, I think Norv Turner does an excellent job at putting the players in great spots. When you have Cam and you have guys like Christian [McCaffery] and Greg Olsen being healthy and then you get some young playmakers on the perimeter, you see why this offense is going to be a nightmare to deal with.
Do you do anything to prepare for what is essentially a 10 am kickoff for your team?
We try to adjust. We have a great strength and conditioning staff and training staff that does a good job adjusting. I’ve learned more about circadian rhythms and all this stuff than I ever thought I would know in the last couple of years. This is something that isn’t foreign to us, going from the west coast to the east coast. We made a bunch of these trips in the last couple of years. Traveling two days out for a 10 a.m. kickoff in our head is something that it is a challenge, but it is something that we have done and we make no excuses for why we wouldn’t be ready to go at 10.