Cam Newton signs with Carolina

54thMA

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This is how I will always remember Tony Eason-pretty much in any game he played
View attachment 43955
Hey, they were up 3-0 in that game.............and Blackmon had a walk in TD interception on a shitty pass that should have made it 10-0...........but none of that mattered, no one was beating the Bears that day.

And that game broke Eason for good, he was never the same after the beating he took.

And that Bears team; after Ryan left, that was that for them, a one year dynasty.
 

snowmanny

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I mean sure, we can find examples of teams that have survived with a backup QB. But the vast majority of teams every year would be screwed without their starting QB.
Well, I will say that Newton >>> Hoyer. No chance with Hoyer, as he is not Brady or Morrall or Plunkett or Warner or even Doug Williams or Nick Foles.
 

lexrageorge

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Hey, they were up 3-0 in that game.............and Blackmon had a walk in TD interception on a shitty pass that should have made it 10-0...........but none of that mattered, no one was beating the Bears that day.

And that game broke Eason for good, he was never the same after the beating he took.

And that Bears team; after Ryan left, that was that for them, a one year dynasty.
Actually, Eason had a better season stats wise the following year.
 

SMU_Sox

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Lombardi chimed in. He said COVID had nothing to do with the release. He said you can't take a 4 star general and demote him to corporal - it kills the locker room and makes it weird. Now if he had come in as a backup then it doesn't matter. But you can't have two alpha dogs in the same room if one started as the guy and now he is supplanted by the other. He also stressed that he loves Cam the person and the guy was an impeccable teammate - and that the Patriots also had nothing but positive things to say about his work ethic and character. I am in that boat too. I liked Cam a lot and thought he was doing his best. His best just wasn't good enough.

Last thing he mentioned is obvious but Cam's injuries really added up. It sucks that NFL is not for long because peak Cam was bliss to watch. Happy trails, Cam - wish things had worked out better for him here.
 

rodderick

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The Ringer asks the question “Where does Cam go from here?”:

https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2021/9/2/22654106/cam-newton-cut-patriots-future
Lol, Ruiz is so blind regarding Cam. To say he looked like a throwback to his best self this preseason is hilarious, dude was putting max effort on 10 yard passes, his arm action is completely different to the one he had when he was young. Then again, this is the same guy who mocked the mere possibility that Mac was capable of outplaying Cam in an open competition for starting QB.
 

FL4WL3SS

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Lombardi chimed in. He said COVID had nothing to do with the release. He said you can't take a 4 star general and demote him to corporal - it kills the locker room and makes it weird. Now if he had come in as a backup then it doesn't matter. But you can't have two alpha dogs in the same room if one started as the guy and now he is supplanted by the other. He also stressed that he loves Cam the person and the guy was an impeccable teammate - and that the Patriots also had nothing but positive things to say about his work ethic and character. I am in that boat too. I liked Cam a lot and thought he was doing his best. His best just wasn't good enough.

Last thing he mentioned is obvious but Cam's injuries really added up. It sucks that NFL is not for long because peak Cam was bliss to watch. Happy trails, Cam - wish things had worked out better for him here.
But what about the rap music?
 

Captaincoop

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And now that he’s coming off an impressive preseason in which he looked like a throwback version of himself, it would seem he’s in prime position to eventually get another shot at starting in the league.

What? How can you write this sentence and call yourself an NFL analyst?
 

rodderick

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And now that he’s coming off an impressive preseason in which he looked like a throwback version of himself, it would seem he’s in prime position to eventually get another shot at starting in the league.

What? How can you write this sentence and call yourself an NFL analyst?
It's honestly impressive that a guy can write multiple paragraphs about how Cam Newton is John Elway and that's not even the worst part of the article.
 

Old Fart Tree

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And now that he’s coming off an impressive preseason in which he looked like a throwback version of himself, it would seem he’s in prime position to eventually get another shot at starting in the league.

What? How can you write this sentence and call yourself an NFL analyst?
It’s preposterous. The dude is toast and probably won’t take a meaningful snap this year.
 

54thMA

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Moreover, the Bears went 14-2 the following season and had the league’s best defense in both points and yards allowed.
They lost to the Redskins in the playoffs, Ditka went with Flutie in that game, it didn't end well, Flutie ended up on the Patriots the following year.
 

Cellar-Door

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Ruiz has a blindspot for Cam, but I will say... he did look a lot better in pre-season to me than he did last season. He had more zip on the ball and his footwork was less of a mess. I think most people thought it would be perfectly reasonable for him to be the starter on a short leash. I think you can make a case he's better than 2-5 guys who are gonna start week 1 if you're willing to play to his strengths.
 

Captaincoop

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Ruiz has a blindspot for Cam, but I will say... he did look a lot better in pre-season to me than he did last season. He had more zip on the ball and his footwork was less of a mess. I think most people thought it would be perfectly reasonable for him to be the starter on a short leash. I think you can make a case he's better than 2-5 guys who are gonna start week 1 if you're willing to play to his strengths.
I'll bite. Name 5 starters he could plausibly be better than this year.
 

EddieYost

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Dalton, Taylor, Darnold, Jones, Wentz, Hurts (maybe Burrow). He was better than several of those last year.
Better than Joe Burrow? You mean like if he gets hurt again and has to sit out the season?
 

Cellar-Door

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Drew Lock, Sam Darnold, Daniel Jones, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Andy Dalton
Lock lost his starting job.

Honestly beyond the ones I listed you could make real cases for Teddy Bridgewater, Tua (I doubt it but he was pretty bad last year).
Cam is right in the mix for bottom 5-7 starting QB.

Burrow? Are you out of your fucking mind?
He was sneaky terrible last year, and is coming back from a major injury. I think Burrow getting hurt made people forget that he threw a ton of passes, but completed them at a lower rate than Cam and was only marginally better in terms of ANY/A. Burrow has way more talent and I'd much rather have him, but coming off injury he could put up a worse year and Cam a better, especially when you consider rushing value.

The problem with Cam isn't that he couldn't be better this year than a bunch of guys, it's that he's not going to be good, and unlikely to be average. So there is no incentive to make him your starter, because a young guy who might be good and could be worse than Cam is way better than Cam who could be the 8th worst starter, or the worst, but has no long term growth or upside.
 

lostjumper

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Dalton, Taylor, Darnold, Jones, Wentz, Hurts (maybe Burrow). He was better than several of those last year.
I mean, if Burrows blows out his knee again I feel like he still may be able to throw a better ball than Cam.

I'd take Wentz and Hurts easily over Cam, probably Dalton as well. And Tyrod Taylor isn't a starter, is he? Cam throws the ball into the turf every third throw. I think Radsox nailed it when he said that Cam throws like he has an arthritis shoulder. That clicked for me.
 

Marceline

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I hadn't heard about Lock in Denver, thanks.

Darnold, Jones, Dalton, Taylor - I would 100% take Cam over any of these 4 guys

Tua, Bridgewater, Fitzpatrick, I'd have to think about. Based on Cam's semi respectable preseason I'd still lean Cam.
 

Bergs

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He was sneaky terrible last year, and is coming back from a major injury. I think Burrow getting hurt made people forget that he threw a ton of passes, but completed them at a lower rate than Cam and was only marginally better in terms of ANY/A. Burrow has way more talent and I'd much rather have him, but coming off injury he could put up a worse year and Cam a better, especially when you consider rushing value.
Joe Burrow was not "sneaky terrible," he was a rookie with an O-line trying to get him murdered. He missed more deep balls than I would like as he was adjusting to better arm strength via mechanical adjustments, but again, he had an O-line trying to get him murdered. I tried to watch every snap he took last year (as I did at LSU, OSU, and Athens High School), and he is a quality NFL QB already. Not top 10 or anything (yet), but head-and-shoulders better at reading defenses and throwing footballs than Cam Newton (better at the former than Cam has EVER been).
 

Cellar-Door

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I mean, if Burrows blows out his knee again I feel like he still may be able to throw a better ball than Cam.

I'd take Wentz and Hurts easily over Cam, probably Dalton as well. And Tyrod Taylor isn't a starter, is he? Cam throws the ball into the turf every third throw. I think Radsox nailed it when he said that Cam throws like he has an arthritis shoulder. That clicked for me.
Tyrod is starting in HOU. The question isn't who would you take, it's who could Cam conceivably finish with a better season than, and Wentz and Hurts are easy picks because Cam was better than them last year.

Edit- Tyrod apparently hasn't been officially named the starter yet, but if for some reason they go with Davis Mills... I would say Cam is a guy who could easily have a better season than him.
 

lostjumper

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Tyrod is starting in HOU. The question isn't who would you take, it's who could Cam conceivably finish with a better season than, and Wentz and Hurts are easy picks because Cam was better than them last year.
Ok, I missed the conceivably part. I could see that over Hurts and Wentz. At least with Hurts you have projectability with him. With Cam, he's on the downside with alot of injuries. While he seems like a great guy, I'm so glad not to watch him throw the football this year
 

Ale Xander

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Burrow sitting on 2 damaged knees would be a better passer than Newton standing up.
 

BaseballJones

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They lost to the Redskins in the playoffs, Ditka went with Flutie in that game, it didn't end well, Flutie ended up on the Patriots the following year.
I know they didn't get far in the playoffs, but their team was still a monster, and their defense, far from dissolving once Buddy Ryan left, was the best in football still.

Flutie was the reason they lost that game. 11-31 and three turnovers. Yikes.

Here's what's amazing about that Bears team. They went 14-2 with these combined stats from their QBs (Tomczak, Flutie, Fuller, and McMahon):

208-415 (50.1%), 2,912 yds, 12 td, 25 int, 8 fumbles, 57.6 passer rating

It's unbelievable that they went 14-2 with that.
 

Bergs

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I know they didn't get far in the playoffs, but their team was still a monster, and their defense, far from dissolving once Buddy Ryan left, was the best in football still.

Flutie was the reason they lost that game. 11-31 and three turnovers. Yikes.

Here's what's amazing about that Bears team. They went 14-2 with these combined stats from their QBs (Tomczak, Flutie, Fuller, and McMahon):

208-415 (50.1%), 2,912 yds, 12 td, 25 int, 8 fumbles, 57.6 passer rating

It's unbelievable that they went 14-2 with that.
That Bears D was just insane, but the funny thing is that if Miami didn't shit down their leg looking past NE in the AFCCG, the Bears probably don't win the 85/86 SB. Marino et al had the exact offense to exploit the shit out of that Bears D.
 

54thMA

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I know they didn't get far in the playoffs, but their team was still a monster, and their defense, far from dissolving once Buddy Ryan left, was the best in football still.

Flutie was the reason they lost that game. 11-31 and three turnovers. Yikes.

Here's what's amazing about that Bears team. They went 14-2 with these combined stats from their QBs (Tomczak, Flutie, Fuller, and McMahon):

208-415 (50.1%), 2,912 yds, 12 td, 25 int, 8 fumbles, 57.6 passer rating

It's unbelievable that they went 14-2 with that.
Calling that offense inept is an understatement.

I knew they were bad, but didn't know they were that bad.

Wow.
 

DJnVa

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And now that he’s coming off an impressive preseason in which he looked like a throwback version of himself, it would seem he’s in prime position to eventually get another shot at starting in the league.

What? How can you write this sentence and call yourself an NFL analyst?
I'm a Cam guy, I like him. But a throwback version of Cam that didn't run one time? Okay dude.
 

Over Guapo Grande

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Prime Cam was Pat Mahomes before there was Pat Mahomes. The difference was that Cam would run over a DB, rather than around one. (Un)fortunately, there is no more Prime Cam
 

bigq

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Calling that offense inept is an understatement.

I knew they were bad, but didn't know they were that bad.

Wow.
Walter Payton, in a sweet penultimate season, had 1715 all purpose yards including 1333 rushing and 382 receiving with 11 TDs. He and Willie Gault (42 receptions, 818 yards, 5 TDs) were pretty much the entire offense.

Separately I’m still sad that Walter Payton did not get a TD in the Super Bowl win. It was bad enough that New England got steamrolled and it was salt in the wound that my favorite non-Patriots player didn’t get into the end zone in a rout. The Patriots did a decent job of bottling up Payton in that game.
 

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Walter Payton, in a sweet penultimate season, had 1715 all purpose yards including 1333 rushing and 382 receiving with 11 TDs. He and Willie Gault (42 receptions, 818 yards, 5 TDs) were pretty much the entire offense.

Separately I’m still sad that Walter Payton did not get a TD in the Super Bowl win. It was bad enough that New England got steamrolled and it was salt in the wound that my favorite non-Patriots player didn’t get into the end zone in a rout. The Patriots did a decent job of bottling up Payton in that game.
They just had to give it to the Fridge
 

bigq

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They just had to give it to the Fridge
If I remember correctly McMahon had a couple of short rushing TDs in that game. I don’t have a full recollection of the game though. Payton probably got several chances to punch it and couldn’t convert. I may have to go to my parents house and dig out the Betamax videotape to confirm.
 

Bob Montgomerys Helmet Hat

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If I remember correctly McMahon had a couple of short rushing TDs in that game. I don’t have a full recollection of the game though. Payton probably got several chances to punch it and couldn’t convert. I may have to go to my parents house and dig out the Betamax videotape to confirm.
You are correct about McMahon. But the controversial TD was later once the outcome was already decided. They had the ball at the one, and it was a great time to let Walter get his TD. But they chose to give it to Perry instead, as he had been their circus freak all year.
That was my first year living in Chicago, and while the city was obviously thrilled, that was a topic of discussion for a long time.
 

sezwho

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That Bears D was just insane, but the funny thing is that if Miami didn't shit down their leg looking past NE in the AFCCG, the Bears probably don't win the 85/86 SB. Marino et al had the exact offense to exploit the shit out of that Bears D.
Wow, maybe I'm just remembering how they handled the Pats but that Bears team is/was the best NFL team I ever saw (at least relative to competition). No way Marino was throwing all over them, he would have been on his back screaming red faced at his o-line like usual.
 

jsinger121

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Marino had beaten the Bears on a Monday night earlier in the season the Bears only loss. However I think the Bears would have been just as motivated for a rematch with Miami in Super Bowl XX should they have been the opponent.
 

sezwho

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Ouch, thanks for the reminder...stupid facts. I'm still genuinely with this though:

Marino had beaten the Bears on a Monday night earlier in the season the Bears only loss. However I think the Bears would have been just as motivated for a rematch with Miami in Super Bowl XX should they have been the opponent.
That Bears team was a wagon and I think the Fish were gettin' just as squished as the Pats did even w/ big Mo lending a hand in the first quarter.
 

Willie Clay's Big Play

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Joe Burrow was not "sneaky terrible," he was a rookie with an O-line trying to get him murdered. He missed more deep balls than I would like as he was adjusting to better arm strength via mechanical adjustments, but again, he had an O-line trying to get him murdered. I tried to watch every snap he took last year (as I did at LSU, OSU, and Athens High School), and he is a quality NFL QB already. Not top 10 or anything (yet), but head-and-shoulders better at reading defenses and throwing footballs than Cam Newton (better at the former than Cam has EVER been).
Don’t forget about the corpse of AJ Green. Burrow had a 65% completion rate, not bad considering some of us could have started on the line. Green had a 45% completion rate when targeted. Somehow the guy was able to suit up and still got 100+ targets.
 

Willie Clay's Big Play

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I don’t think anyone who watched this preseason could say 2021 Cam was 60% of this Cam. The whole throwback Cam thing is a joke.
View: https://twitter.com/HoHighlights/status/1433425321211006976


He was slow running last year and he couldn’t sniff at those last 2 throws now.
Thanks for posting. Good for reference and nostalgia. The guy was something else. It’s too bad he took such a beating, but that was part of the deal with how he played.

I fully expected for the clip to end with Gronk getting mugged in the end zone as a pass gently falls a few feet in front of him. Great game.
 

NortheasternPJ

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Thanks for posting. Good for reference and nostalgia. The guy was something else. It’s too bad he took such a beating, but that was part of the deal with how he played.

I fully expected for the clip to end with Gronk getting mugged in the end zone as a pass gently falls a few feet in front of him. Great game.
He really was. I remember watching that game in 2017 vs the Panthers and it really felt completely hopeless against Cam that day. IIRC that was also the peak of "Will the Patriots cut / trade Gilmore" nonsense. Looking back he was 22/29 for 316 yards, 3 TD 1 INT and 66 yards rushing and throwing to Funchess and Benjamin all over the Pats secondary.