The Panthers are coming off of a horrible season compared to their 15-1 2015 campaign. The were 6-10 and had many players battling injuries that factored into the team's struggles. Cam Newton also didn't have a good year for Carolina. The QB was battered and bruised throughout the whole season and ended up tearing his rotator cuff which required offseason surgery. The Panthers are much better than a 6-10 team, and with additions in free agency and the draft, they are set to have a great year in 2017. Cam Newton will be a key factor in the Panthers' success, as he is the QB of the team and the leader of the team.
Will Cam Newton return as SuperCam in 2017?
Your average QB
Newton didn't stand out from the pack in 2016, as he had statistically the worst season of his career. Newton ended last season with 3,509 yards passing, 19 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions. He had a terrible completion percentage, only connecting on 53 percent of his passes. Newton also averaged 6.8 yards per completion, the lowest of his career. Newton's QBR was 54, and his Quarterback rating was 75.8, both being the lowest of his career. Newton struggled to read coverages and he paid for it on most occasions by throwing costly interceptions. Cam wasn't a great QB, he was your average QB last season, having very boring stats.
Many things factored into Cam having a bad season.
One of the primary reasons was that his offensive line didn't do a great job protecting him when he dropped back to pass. The Panthers gave up 47 sacks last year, which allowed Newton to be hit on multiple occasions. The hits Newton took were also a factor. Newton had some head-to-head hits in the pocket that didn't draw a flag.
This had an effect on him, as he didn't feel protected by the refs and was a sitting duck for head-to-head collisions. Newton couldn't rely on his receivers to produce, either, as they struggled to find their groove all season.
Return to form
Newton had surgery on his shoulder, and he should be ready for training camp. The Panthers also helped him in the draft when they took Christian McCaffrey No.
8 overal. Devin Funchess and Kelvin Benjamin are ready to take the next step and become better receivers for Cam. The defense is always a top-tier defense, and with Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis leading the way, Cam should get the ball often. Newton has hopefully put last season behind him and is now ready to return to the field. The Panthers should be feared in the NFL, as they are ready to pounce on their opponents this season.
