Post by Guvmintcheeze on Sept 10, 2015 6:56:21 GMT
Cam Newton looking to complete 65 to 70 percent of passes in 2015
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton had a stern look on his face when he got off the team bus at Tampa Bay’s Raymond James Stadium a year ago.
You might have even called it a scowl.
Newton had been told the night before he wouldn’t play because of the fractured ribs he suffered in the third preseason game. No matter how much he argued he was ready, coach Ron Rivera wasn’t willing to risk further injury.
“Fortunately, it’s not last year," Newton said on Wednesday. “I’m focused on this year and maximizing each and every opportunity we do get."
Newton is healthier than he’s been at any point in his career as he prepares for Sunday’s opener at Jacksonville. He understands the playbook more completely and what’s expected of him.
He’s set a goal to complete 65 to 70 percent his passes, which is a tall order for a player with a career 59.5 completion percentage and a career-best of 61.7 percent in 2013.
“Calling a play is not like playing a game of Madden, when you’ve got a lot of bullets out there," Newton said. “You’ve got to find a completion. That’s something I’m maturing into that I’m working to as a player, that when all hell breaks loose, no matter what the situation is at hand, you’ve just go to keep the bus going forward.
“If you hit a beep sound on the bus, that’s not a good sign, and that’s just up to me to get the offense to the last triangle on the field."
Despite a preseason in which he led the first-team offense to only two touchdowns, lost No. 1 wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin for the season with a torn ACL and had six dropped passes, Newton’s confidence is at an all-time high.
When asked how he handled the drops, he turned the tables.
“What’s it do to my psyche when I throw a not-so-good pass from the pocket?" Newton deadpanned. “You can’t just sit up there and point out the things of mishaps when it goes both ways."
That shows a maturity that Newton didn’t have when the Panthers made him the first pick of the 2011 draft. As has been well documented, when things went bad, he hid under a towel on the bench.
“His confidence is going to be sky high because that is how he approaches it from classroom to the field," wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery said.
That confidence was most evident on Newton’s final series of the preseason, a seven-play, 80-yard drive capped to by a 2-yard touchdown pass to fullback Mike Tolbert.
“Hopefully we will build off of that and keep the momentum going heading down to Jacksonville,” Rivera said.
Newton was 4-for-4 to four different receivers on the drive. Two were to backs, an option Newton hasn’t always chosen.
“His timing is a lot better in terms of getting the ball out sooner, getting the ball out on time and getting the ball out where it needs to be,’’ Rivera said. “Those decisions are come a lot quicker and that comes from getting familiarity within the system.
“He’s done a real nice job in terms of the situation where Kelvin is not in, but he’s still working with everyone and not favoring anybody and spreading the ball around as much as possible.”
And he’s not having to deal with questions about whether he will play as he did this week a year ago.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton had a stern look on his face when he got off the team bus at Tampa Bay’s Raymond James Stadium a year ago.
You might have even called it a scowl.
Newton had been told the night before he wouldn’t play because of the fractured ribs he suffered in the third preseason game. No matter how much he argued he was ready, coach Ron Rivera wasn’t willing to risk further injury.
“Fortunately, it’s not last year," Newton said on Wednesday. “I’m focused on this year and maximizing each and every opportunity we do get."
Newton is healthier than he’s been at any point in his career as he prepares for Sunday’s opener at Jacksonville. He understands the playbook more completely and what’s expected of him.
He’s set a goal to complete 65 to 70 percent his passes, which is a tall order for a player with a career 59.5 completion percentage and a career-best of 61.7 percent in 2013.
“Calling a play is not like playing a game of Madden, when you’ve got a lot of bullets out there," Newton said. “You’ve got to find a completion. That’s something I’m maturing into that I’m working to as a player, that when all hell breaks loose, no matter what the situation is at hand, you’ve just go to keep the bus going forward.
“If you hit a beep sound on the bus, that’s not a good sign, and that’s just up to me to get the offense to the last triangle on the field."
Despite a preseason in which he led the first-team offense to only two touchdowns, lost No. 1 wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin for the season with a torn ACL and had six dropped passes, Newton’s confidence is at an all-time high.
When asked how he handled the drops, he turned the tables.
“What’s it do to my psyche when I throw a not-so-good pass from the pocket?" Newton deadpanned. “You can’t just sit up there and point out the things of mishaps when it goes both ways."
That shows a maturity that Newton didn’t have when the Panthers made him the first pick of the 2011 draft. As has been well documented, when things went bad, he hid under a towel on the bench.
“His confidence is going to be sky high because that is how he approaches it from classroom to the field," wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery said.
That confidence was most evident on Newton’s final series of the preseason, a seven-play, 80-yard drive capped to by a 2-yard touchdown pass to fullback Mike Tolbert.
“Hopefully we will build off of that and keep the momentum going heading down to Jacksonville,” Rivera said.
Newton was 4-for-4 to four different receivers on the drive. Two were to backs, an option Newton hasn’t always chosen.
“His timing is a lot better in terms of getting the ball out sooner, getting the ball out on time and getting the ball out where it needs to be,’’ Rivera said. “Those decisions are come a lot quicker and that comes from getting familiarity within the system.
“He’s done a real nice job in terms of the situation where Kelvin is not in, but he’s still working with everyone and not favoring anybody and spreading the ball around as much as possible.”
And he’s not having to deal with questions about whether he will play as he did this week a year ago.