Can He Be THIS Good?
Written by Sean Salisbury, Monday September 19 2011
Let me be the first to admit that I’d have bet a million dollars that he would not have been this good this fast. And he’s doing this with no offseason work with the team!
I didn’t believe Cam Newton was the best player in the NFL draft, let alone the best QB. But if two games are any indication, he shoved his Heisman Trophy, his signing bonus, his National Championship trophy right down my throat, far enough to cause constipation!
There is something unique and special about this kid other than the obvious, which is his physical talent. He’s as poised as any rookie I’ve seen come into the league. Handles adversity like an experienced general and has leadership skills that 15-year veterans don’t possess. My biggest concern about Newton coming in was really two things: Was he mechanically sound, and how would he do if he had to carry a team throwing the football?
And while I still think there is a lot of room for mechanical improvement with Newton, don’t fix what isn’t broke – just fine-tune it. He put a muzzle on all of us by proving that his arm, not just his feet, can carry a team.
Cam Newton is just a full-grown beast, and I think he is so focused that neither the good nor the bad has affected him, which is a characteristic of great quarterbacks. After two games, the leader of the Carolina Panthers is a guy who’s only played two games in the NFL.
I have never been more wrong on my evaluation of a guy early in his career than I have been with Newton. I’ve always believed he’s a winner and he’s proven that, but any so-called expert that expected this start by Newton is a flat-ass liar! Yes, I know he threw three picks against the Packers. Yes, I know the Panthers are 0-2. And yes, it’s only two games, but the joke is on us. The Panthers front office and coaching staff did their homework on a genius draft pick. This is the happiest 0-2 team EVER!
Dare I say … the Panthers have no use for Andrew Luck.
Sean Salisbury, former NFL quarterback and NFL analyst for ESPN, covers sports for www.playerpress.com. Follow him on Twitter @SeanUnfiltered and Facebook.com/seansalisburyunfiltered.
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