Carolina quarterback Cam Newton said Wednesday afternoon that “we are better than 10 points offensively” and that the “defense did enough” for the Panthers to have won on Sunday against Tampa.
Instead, Carolina lost, 16-10. The Panthers’ 10 points tied the Miami Dolphins for the fewest scored in Week 1.
Newton said the Panthers too frequently had individual breakdowns. Carolina ran the ball for 10 yards, tying a franchise low, and Newton threw for 303 yards but also had two second-half interceptions.
“On offense, it’s 11 guys who have to gel to make a play,” Newton said. “Defensively you can kind of get away with it with a single player making a play and making up the difference of another person. But offensively, if one guy slips down or falls down, it’s going to show on the whole offense.”
Newton said he wasn’t going to address the reported bounty the Saints put on him last season (but other Panther players certainly aren't real fond of the Saints these days, as The Observer's Joseph Person reports here). He didn’t have much more to say than that Wednesday during his scheduled media availability.
Newton was only available for two minutes and 37 seconds, which translated into three questions and three answers, before a Panther official said Newton had to go to a meeting.
Coach Ron Rivera said Newton had handled the Week 1 loss well.
“Cam’s been solid,” he said. “I talked to him yesterday morning. We had a great conversation. In typical Cam fashion, he put it on himself -- things he felt he could have done better, things that he could have handled better. The one thing he has done is he has opened up and been a little more vocal about it. Which I think is good. I think the more he says, the more he’s out there about it, the better off he’s going to be.”
The Saints gave up 320 yards passing to Robert Griffin III in Week 1, and RG3 plays a style that is similar to Newton's. New Orleans (0-1) comes to Carolina Sunday for a game that will kick off at 1 p.m.
I will have more about Newton in my column for Thursday's Charlotte Observer and online.
We're moving!
9 years ago
Posts
15 comments:
better than what?
what you bargained for?
wrong again jeeves
Redskins also ran the ball, biggest difference. If the Oline can get off the line, the offense will look 100x better! You can't run if you're being tackled when you're getting the hand off.
Well Cam...obviously you weren't better than 10 points.
This season is OVER !!!
I am sooooo sick of these post game interviews with team members and coaches; it's ALWAYS "we can AND WILL do better". BULLFUNKY; if ya stink, ya stink.
Q: did they put a bounty on Armanti?
A: No, the Saints, as well as everyone else that isn't from western NC doesn't even know who that is.
The Saints are better than the Bucs. Better buckle up and get at least 40 on the board like the Skins did. Can we do that Cam?
Guys, if you don't realize that the O-line spent most of the game doing an impersonation of the Invisible Man, then you obviously didn't watch the game!
Most plays it looked like Cam and the RBs were looking at a Tampa Team portrait!
well that beikg said u guys dont know football. their was no blocking at all.how can any qb operate with no blockin.
This is also true even when Clausen was QB so let's stop picking on him
The panthers biggest problem in my opinion Sunday was an all to familiar problem in years past. No intensity, fire, passion, or heart. Tampa came out at the start of the game fired up and playing with intensity. As is usually the case the panthers didn't respond. You have to play with intensity and passion. football is a game of emotions, and you have to match the other teams energy level or you are going to get beat. Tampa Bay laid the first punch and the panthers went and hid in the corner. it is like being in a fight. if someone punches you first are you going to stand there and bleed or are you going to fight back? you have to play the game of football with a certain attitude and mindset. the panthers have rarely ever had a team play like that. i get soooooo sick and tired of hearing the same old excuses every single year after every loss...."the mistakes are correctable" or "it was just a few missed assignments". it is one thing to lose. you are not going to win every game, but is is absolutely inexcusable to lose a single game because of a lack of intensity or passion on the field. the excuses are getting old. either start playing like you give a damn whether you win or lose or get the hell off the field.
The blocking was terrible. Cam made some bad decisions... but if you look at it the defense only allowed 16 points. Our offensive line has suffered ever since Otah went to the walking wounded... he was a beast but could not recover from an injury.
If the offensive line can recover and possibly get a little push on running plays we will be alright.
We showed up flat on what seemed as an uninspired performance. Cam tried to make up for it and forced some throws he should not have.
New Orleans is the test... they are mad and coming off a loss they should not have had.
2 cents anyway
Xavier has it right. Tampa wanted it more. A couple of years ago, Arizona came east for two games. After the first game, they stayed the whole week, and got smashed. Going to Bradenton cost the Panthers this game because it got the guys in a funk.
I think the coaches have asked Cam not to run as much. He's simply not GREAT from the pocket. He's special rolling out, in space, and stretching the defense. If we're taking away his running, it will be a very long season.
Nice Blog!
Post a Comment