So it begins. No words on Palmer and Rivers (who led the NFL is turnovers this year though).
Cam should have kept dabbing and shit...you can't do shit for them to "love" you, boss.
http://www.espn.com/blog/carolina-p...t-a-tier-1-quarterback-and-now-hes-not-tier-2
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- I argued in August that
Carolina Panthers quarterback
Cam Newton should be a Tier 1 quarterback.
I said it was ridiculous that the reigning NFL MVP, coming off a career-best 35 touchdown passes to go with 10 rushing touchdowns, should be Tier 2 when ESPN released its rankings compiled in a survey of 42 league insiders.
I said the player known for his “Superman'' celebrations should be ranked up there with
Tom Brady and
Aaron Rodgers.
I reminded that Hall of Famer Steve Young said Newton reached “rare air'' last season.
I was wrong.
Newton proved me wrong with statistically his worst season in most major categories. He proved me wrong by being unable to carry the Panthers, as banged up as they got on the offensive line, and win because of him.
Now I'm not certain if Newton is a Tier 2 quarterback based on the way the tiers are determined.
- Tier 1: Can carry his team each week. Team wins because of him.
- Tier 2: Can carry team sometimes but not as consistently.
- Tier 3: Legit starter but needs heavy run game/defense to win.
- Tier 4: Might not want this guy starting all 16 games.
- Tier 5: Do not think this guy should be starting.
Based on this 6-10 season, Newton is closer to a third tier quarterback than a No. 2. With the exception of a Week 2 win against a bad
San Francisco 49ers team in which he threw four touchdown passes, it's hard to argue Newton carried the Panthers in a game all season.
San Francisco 49ers team in which he threw four touchdown passes, it's hard to argue Newton carried the Panthers in a game all season.
His three interceptions in a Week 3 loss against the
Minnesota Vikings were costly. So were the three, including a pick-6, he threw in Sunday's 17-16 season finale at the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
He threw two or more touchdowns only four times and had one or fewer 11 times.
His completion percentage dipped to a career-low 52.9 percent and his passer rating fell to a career-low 75.8. He threw only 19 touchdowns, tied for the second fewest of his career.
That's not good enough for Tier 1 or 2.
Newton's not even in the top two in the NFC South, for certain trailing
Atlanta Falcons' quarterback
Matt Ryan and
Drew Brees of the
New Orleans Saints.
One could argue he's fallen to No. 4 in the division behind the Bucs'
Jameis Winston.
Heck, he has fallen to No. 4.
According to ESPN's Total Quarterback Rating, Ryan was No. 1 in the NFL with a rating of 83.4, Brees No. 6 at 72.1, Winston No. 12 at 64.9 and Newton No. 26 at 53.1.
Even during his MVP season of a year ago Newton (No. 12, 65.5) was third in the division in Total QBR behind Brees (No. 8, 69.9), Ryan (No. 9, 67.2).
Ranking behind them is nothing to be ashamed about, mind you. The South arguably is the top quarterback division in the NFL.
But if you're going to rise from last place in the division back to first as the Panthers aim to do in 2017, Newton has to perform at least at a Tier 2 level. The other quarterbacks will only be more dangerous as their defenses get better.
General manager Dave Gettleman still insists Newton is the player that can lead Carolina to the “Promised Land.'' He referred to the “Chicken Little'' story and said the sky is not falling.
But Newton fell hard this season, enough so that coach Ron Rivera said the first pick of the 2011 draft and the offense around him have to evolve in large part for the long-term health of his quarterback.
Newton finished this season with a sore shoulder that contributed to a dreadful 47.85 passer rating in the final two games. All season he couldn't escape pressure as easily as he has in past years.
Rivera has suggested less read-option and more play action to lessen the pounding on his quarterback, which he reminded isn't as “nimble'' as he approaches 28.
But Newton's threat as a runner was a big reason he was Tier 2 and why I argued he should be Tier 1. The combination of throwing and running made him lethal and harder to defend than arguably any quarterback in the league.
Take away his running, without a major improvement in completion percentage, and he's Tier 3. And Newton's completion percentage never has been stellar with only one in six seasons above 60 percent, that in 2013 when he completed 61.7 percent of his passes.
Brees, by the way, completed 70 percent of his passes this season. Ryan was at 69.9 percent.
So you can see why Newton says he needs a sabbatical, time to get completely away from football to heal physically and mentally from a rough season.
What kind of quarterback he'll be when he returns for the 2017 season remains to be seen.
But I can guarantee he won't be Tier 1.
