Sir Purr
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- Mar 16, 2019
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Questions about Cam
Quarterback Cam Newton's longest completion against the Rams went for 17 yards. He finished with just three rushing attempts for -2 yards, a career low.
On Monday, head coach Ron Rivera was asked if those numbers – the lack of deep throws and lack of rushing attempts – are an indication of the new normal for Newton.
“I think that’s more about the decisions he makes out there as the quarterback, the guy with the ball in his hands who dictates where the ball goes, more so than anything else,” Rivera said.
After the game, Newton said his body felt great. Rivera said he hasn’t seen or heard anything that suggests otherwise.
It’s one game, and there are a lot of factors that play into a quarterback deciding whether or now to throw deep (coverage, protection, etc.). And as the old saying goes, it may have been more about taking what the defense was giving.
As for the running (or lack thereof), it's worth noting that Newton is coming off a left midfoot sprain – an injury he suffered during the preseason.
Look, we know this: everyone will be waiting to anxiously to see how Newton’s performs in Week 2.
McCoy getting used to the rotation
Defensive tackle Gerald McCoy played 52 percent of the snaps in the opener, which he acknowledged is a lower total than he’s used to.
“I’m used to playing a lot and getting a lot more snaps than that,” McCoy said. “It’s tough to get a rhythm going. But it keeps you fresh. It’s opening day, we’ll get used to it.”
Rivera and the defensive coaches want to keep the linemen fresh, but obviously it’s important to have your best players on the field as much as possible. It’s a balancing act that the Panthers will continue to work though.
“That’s something we’ve got to figure out too, as well to be honest. Again, you want to try and keep these guys fresh as much as you can,” Rivera said. “(McCoy) is an impact player. We’ve got to get guys like that on the field the majority of the time.
“The key is just he’s going to have to learn the rhythm and get used to it,” Rivera added. “It’s a difficult thing for guys that are used to playing 65, 70 snaps a game, understanding the rhythm is that it’s really about being ready to play when it gets to the crunch time, and again we’re trying to develop that with him.”