Pats Face Unique Challenge in Cam Newton

The Patriots have faced a variety of quarterbacks this year, ranging from the elite (Drew Brees, Matt Ryan) to, well, Josh Freeman. This week, they prepare for a doozy of a matchup with Panthers quarterback and Superman impersonator Cam Newton.

Newton, the number one overall pick from the 2011 draft, had blossomed into one of the most dynamic threats in the league. At 6'5" and 245 lbs, Newton has prototypical quarterback size and a cannon of an arm downfield, but it's Cam's athleticism that makes him stand apart. Newton hasn't run as much this year as years past, but remains an explosive threat to take off at any time, equally capable of bouncing off defenders or simply out-running them.

While the Patriots haven't faced a dual-threat quarterback of this caliber, they have had the luxury of playing five (EJ Manuel, Geno Smith, Ryan Tannehill, Josh Freeman, Ben Roethlesberger) guys capable of hurting a defense with their legs. Patriots players and coaches alike preached rush lane discipline when facing those players, and will almost assuredly do the same this week. The difference is, losing contain against Smith or Tannehill will surrender a first down. Do that against Cam and this could happen real quickly:



Another way Cam's athleticism hurts a defense is his ability to extend the play. This was on display yesterday during the Panthers narrow win against the 49ers, despite Cam having a rougher day against the tough Niners D. With 12:34 left in the fourth and a key 3rd and 7, the Niners unloaded a blitz that overwhelmed the left side of the Panthers line. Newton calmly took off to his right and found his favorite receiver, Steve Smith, on the sidelines for 8 yards and the first down. The Panthers would go on to kick a field goal that drive, providing the margin of victory in their 10-9 win.

This ability to extend the play will make things difficult for a Patriots secondary that has struggled a little without top corner Aqib Talib. There's a decent chance Talib will be back for this Monday Night affair, but the defense will certainly be tested by Newton's ability to keep them off-balance regardless. It will be imperative for the cornerbacks to hold up in coverage, especially against a group of receivers (Steve Smith, Brandon LeFell, Ted Ginn Jr.) with some big play ability.

Despite all of Cam's talent, there are some inconsistencies that still come up in his game. His accuracy is decent (he's completed a career high 62% of his passes this year) but clearly a step below some of the game's best QBs. He's also prone to throw the occasional stinker of a game out there, particularly against good defenses.

This is evident by a quick glance at his win-loss splits. In the Panthers 6 wins, Cam has looked like a superstar, completing 65% of his passes for 10 touchdowns and only 4 picks. In their three losses, those numbers drop to 58%, 3 touchdowns and 4 picks. Of course, two of those losses have come to ferocious defenses (Seattle and Arizona) while four of those wins have come against cupcakes (Giants, Bucs, Falcons and Vikings).

Simply put, the Patriots ability (or lack thereof) to stop the run will likely dictate how well they fare against Newton. The Panthers are an extremely run heavy team, using a three-headed backfield of DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart and Mike Tolbert to bash teams into submission while setting Cam up for deep strikes on play action. If the Patriots can take that away and make the Panthers one-dimensional, they will have options to confuse Cam, either with blitzes or disguised coverages. If not, it could be a long Monday night chasing one of the most talented specimens in the NFL.