Look up the NFL leaders in passing yardage and sitting there behind the revered names of Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady and Drew Brees is a 22-year-old rookie quarterback named Cam Newton who has thrown for 2,103 yards in seven games.
The Carolina Panthers man-child has been improving as the season progresses and it will be the Vikings’ assignment to slow him down on Sunday in Charlotte. Former Vikings assistant coach Dean Dalton was asked how a defensive coordinator should approach the assignment.
“What you want to do is try to beat him between the ears,” he said. “Throw (him) a lot of disguised coverages. A lot of combination coverages. Give him a man look and then be in zone. Give him a zone look and then be in man. …”
Newton started his college career at Florida, went to junior college, then transferred to Auburn where he was the ringmaster of the Tigers’ undefeated national championship team in 2010. He only played one full season as a college starter and then because of the NFL labor dispute didn’t have the usual offseason indoctrination that benefits rookies.
Newton’s inexperience is why Dalton said the Vikings need to confuse him. “If he’s thinking too much and hesitating, he’ll lose a step.”
Newton’s passer rating is only 82.8, placing him 19th in the league and even behind the Vikings’ Donovan McNabb. He’s only thrown eight touchdown passes. But he’s improved each week, Dalton said, and the 2-5 Panthers have played competitively including a win over 3-3 Washington last Sunday.
“He’s really rejuvenated that whole franchise,” Dalton said. “They haven’t won a lot of games but they’ve competed in all of them, and he’s been phenomenal. He’s been throwing for 400 yards and everybody thought he would be running for 100, but he does that, too. ..”
The 6-5, 248-pound Newton has actually run for 266 total yards this season, averaging 4.7 yards per carry (his total yards rank No. 33 in the NFL). He has rushed for seven touchdowns, tying an NFL rookie quarterback record. He can not only use his powerful right arm to throw long and short, but he will both bulldoze tacklers and out run them.
Dalton said Newton will “probably” be Rookie of the Year and has All-Pro potential. “What Cam Newton brings is an unbelievable skill set ─ his blessing from his parents and God,” Dalton said. “Added to that is a tremendous work ethic and a passion to be great. He has that million dollar smile but he puts in the work behind it to go out and play and perform at a high level.
“And the kid is a winner. All he’s ever done is win and produce (national title teams at Blinn College and Auburn). … “