NFL offseason thread

As defenses adjust to contain the read-option, offenses will adjust as well. It's just as simple as saying "Welp. Defenses have seen the read-option. Now, they'll adjust and the read-option will just go away."

 

I agree that it's not as simple as saying "NFL defenses will adjust." Cam Newton was just as good in Year 2 as he was in Year 1.

 

Was he?

Edit: Just looked. Stats wise, yeah, he actually was. My bad.

 

It will be interesting now that teams have had more time to scout these guys. I think some get away with a few things as rookies (or their first year as starters) that might be a bit more difficult later, but if teams think they can shut these guys down just by trying to take away the read-option, they're going to be sorely mistaken.

Any of those three (Wilson, Kaepernick and RG3) are very accurate passers. It's not like some of the more one-dimensional running quarterbacks (not that there have been many...).

 

Pretty much, Ryan. The Panthers' really bad start and Newton's reaction to same obscured his actual performance, which did not drop off significantly, but suffered by comparison to the 2012 crop of new QBs.

 

I don't think Newton was as good last year as he was as a rookie. But how do you follow up on a season where a QB rushes for 14 touchdowns?

His rookie season was one of the best ever. It was insane.

He was still pretty damn good last year though...

 

Rushing touchdowns are a little situational dependent. Without digging too deep, it's possible that some of those receptions or runs by other Panthers that got stopped inside the 5 in 2011 went for touchdowns in 2012.

Newton's yards per carry and QB rating were both better last year than in his rookie year.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/stats/_/id/13994/cam-newton

http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/stats/_/id/13994/cam-newton

 

It was very clear his rookie year was no fluke.

 

I wouldn't put a lot of stock in any stat that showed Newton's second year to be equal to his first. He was really quite terrible as they started 1-6 -- 5 TDs, 8 INTs, and a couple of those losses fell squarely on his shoulders. (I am thinking of the Seattle one in particular.)

 

You don't put stock in quarterback rating and yards per carry???

 

I can't tell if you're being serious, but I put zero stock in QB rating. I think it is quite possibly the dumbest stat in the entire sports world. Take a sack, QB rating stays high; throw it out of bounds, QB rating goes lower. Totally ginned-up, artificial measure that is based on the outset from what somebody just decided 30 years ago is "good."

It's great that he got his ass in gear after they started 2-8, but by then it was a waste. And he was awful during that 2-8 start.

 

QB rating is certainly a flawed stat, but if you look at the rankings from last year, you see who you think you should see in the top 10 or so.