Falcons to Carolina’s Cam Newton: ‘Bring it on!’
Former Auburn quarterback and Heisman trophy winner Cam Newton appears headed to Carolina. (Associated Press)
UNOFFICIAL MINICAMPVILLE – In the modern NFL, a player drafted in the top 10 is expected to play.
(NOTE FROM DOL: Well, they didn’t actually say “Bring it On!” I just liked the movie and wanted to post the picture of Kirsten Dunst and Gabrielle Union in each other’s face.)
Matt Ryan, Joe Flacco, Mark Sanchez and Sam Bradford have changed that dynamic for quarterbacks.
The owners feel that they are paying hefty rookie salaries, so it’s incumbent on the coaches to get the young
quarterbacks ready to play.
You have to give a lot of credit to former Falcons quarterbacks coach Bill Musgrave and offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey for Ryan’s speedy development.
So, it will be interesting to see how Carolina handles Cam Newton, the No. 1 overall pick in the draft from Auburn and Westlake High. Musgrave, now the offensive coordinator in Minnesota, will try to get former Florida State quarterback Christian Ponder ready to play.
Some of the Falcons defenders had some thoughts on Newton and they shared their plans to “welcome” him to the NFC South.
“Everybody has to prove their worth in this league,” free safety Thomas DeCoud said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re the first pick or if you’re Mr. Irrelevant, you have to prove yourself in this league and make your own name.”
Linebacker Mike Peterson, who is helping to lead the Falcons’ minicamp drills despite the fact that he’s not under contract, has his own view of rookies.
“I love it,” Peterson said. “He’s still a rookie to me. It doesn’t matter what you did in college. When he gets to Carolina, all of the guys are going to tell him to forget what he did in college. Just wash that away because it doesn’t mean [anything] here in this league.”
Starting middle linebacker Curtis Lofton had both of his knees scoped this offseason. He moved around well at the minicamp practice. (D. Orlando Ledbetter/DLedbetter@ajc.com)
Middle linebacker Curtis Lofton, who’s recovering from two offseason knee surgeries, believes the lockout will definitely stunt Newton’s development. He was able to start as a rookie after going through the offseason program.
“Cam Newton is a very athletic quarterback,” Lofton said. “It doesn’t bode very well for him, not being able to go through OTAs and these minicamps and stuff. It’s a lot and they are going to have to cut the playbook down. As a defensive guy, I kind of enjoy that. It kind of gives us the advantage. But he’s going to bring a lot of athleticism to Carolina’s offense.”
Linebacker Sean Weatherspoon opened last season as a starter after being selected 19th overall in the first round. He benefitted from the team’s minicamp and OTAs last offseason.
“We know that guy is elusive and can make a ton of plays,” Weatherspoon said. “I look forward to playing against him. I think competitors always want to play against the best.”
–D. Orlando Ledbetter, The Atlanta Falcons beat blog
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128 comments Add your comment
Ford Edsel
May 11th, 2011
6:28 pm
The sAints will be lucky to squeeze in the playoffs as a Wildcard again.
Haywood Jablowmi
May 11th, 2011
6:32 pm
You people SLAY me. Tampa’s on the rise, Carolina just added a potential stud at QB, ATL can’t stop the run, and NO can’t stop ANYONE.
Pay attention – the Bucs and Cats will be dining on the top feeders really soon.
hiramsaint
May 11th, 2011
6:46 pm
@haywood- sorry to inform you but the saints and ,it pains me to say this , the falcons will be atop the nfc south for at least 4 more years. true the bucs are up and coming but the kittycats-c’mon man. they’ll be in rebuild mode …well maybe forever!
Loyal Falcon
May 11th, 2011
6:46 pm
@ hiramsaint – you have nothing else better to do than to come on the competition’s blog stir things up. Can’t wait for those saints vs falcons games. Our defense is gonna be just fine. Can’t wait to see Julio, Roddy,Jenkins,Harry and Meier tear up that secondary. Good luck stopping warrick dunn i mean Jacquizz
hiramsaint
May 11th, 2011
6:48 pm
@ ford -as did the saints and packers to the faicans in front of your home crowd. well maybe crowd was the wrong word for the packers game , at least after half time
hiramsaint
May 11th, 2011
6:51 pm
with airballs from a qb that couldn’t reach them on a regular basis. stirring things up keeps it fun i think. how exactly is your D gonna be just fine? i think ingram will show quizz what a real running back is. quizz is a glorified high school back from a college div. that really doesn’t count. plus your pick always end up hurt
Ken Strickland
May 11th, 2011
7:00 pm
HIRAMAINT-what has been done to improve your SORRIER THAN SORRY 29th ranked DEF, especially after being dominated by the 7-9 Seahawks(the worst playoff team in NFL history) OFF that ranked 28th.
Comeon HIRAMAINT, why won’t you talk about your SORRIER THAN SORRY 29TH ranked DEF? I understand there’s not much to be said about any DEF that’s sorry enough to be ranked 29th, but you’d think you’d at least have sense enough not to mention anyone elses DEF, especially when your SORRIER THAN SORRY 29TH RANKED DEF is worse in every respect than the one you’re criticizing. THAT’S JUST DUMB ON YOUR PART.
Hoof Hearted?
May 11th, 2011
7:02 pm
I view a punter as a defensive player. Remember Ray Guy?
bgfalcon
May 11th, 2011
7:14 pm
DOL
you may not be a uga fan but that doesn’t give you the right to just flat out dawg them like that! we have 3 underperforming years and all of a sudden we’re iowa? we have a coach who has been down a couple of years but almost consistently gets 10 wins a year, and we’re iowa? you couldn’t think of a team that has consistently won but has just not gotten to the top, but you thought of iowa? now that my 2nd favorite sports team in the falcons are doing good, i guess you just get the authority to say whatever you want don’t you?? if uga is iowa then what is tech in your book? cmon man get yor head outta your ass and look at the bigger picture… iowa…. smh…..
hiramsaint
May 11th, 2011
7:23 pm
ken- actually our D was ranked #13 vs.failcans at #23. i asked you repeatedly to check your stas as not to embarass you . to answer- cameron jordan-d.e.[ya gotta know who he is]…greg romeus -d.e….wilson and bussey-l.b.ers both from ill. and a c.b from l’ville i believe.ingram was a gift and a very smart play on our part. with casillas returning our D should be able hold thier own. i feel our db’s are good enough and just stop about sharper-everyone but you know he’s done so why talk about him anymore? so ken- what about your 23rd ranked D who’s looking to stay put. what have the 3 stooges got in store to blind the rest of the nfl?
hiramsaint
May 11th, 2011
7:30 pm
ken as a cocession i also found wher the failcanswere ranked 17th. i suppose it just depends on where you look. regardless- a team on the bottom half should address their D instead of making ricky williams type trades for a wr that matty melt can’t throw to. if anything a t.e. would have been in order to subsidize matty melts range and power. honestly with a D in the lower half and the majority of your picks to the off. …hmmmmmmmmmm
KJ
May 11th, 2011
7:31 pm
LOL @ UGA being anything close to Iowa. Iowa would never sniff a title in the SEC, or win nearly as many games as UGA has in the last decade. You need to loosen that bowtie, kid.
Game Manager
May 11th, 2011
9:57 pm
LOL, Matt Ryan will be the fourth best QB in the division in a year from now. LOL
Game Manager
May 11th, 2011
10:02 pm
If Vince Young can carry his team his first year to the playoffs on athletic ability cam can do it. I know Vince went south after that but Cam is mentally stronger than Vince so expect Cam to continue get better mentally at football be make no mistake he can beat the falcons on athletic ability alone right from jump street.
Mike is back
May 11th, 2011
10:07 pm
DLed, very timely blog…ever since Cam announce he was going pro…I was kind of hoping he didn’t end up in Carolina…not one of our arch rival…dang.
Now that we got Jones and Rogers…the Birds will be able to put points on anybody…especially Carolina…BRING IT ON!!!!
MikeP
May 11th, 2011
10:16 pm
Auburn’s Cam Newton-led offense put 49 on the DullDawgs. If his supporting cast at Carolina is good enough, he may hang 49 on the Falcons. He’s smart, a leader and he knows how to win.
aarh
May 11th, 2011
10:59 pm
D. Orlando Ledbetter- I know UGa has struggled the last couple of yrs. & they haven’t won that many national champioships, but after AL. UGA & Tenn have won the next amount of SEC championships. I know those aren’t national champioships, but SEC championships are still good, & I mainly mention taht bc you said UGA needs to win more of ea. They actually have won the SEC 2xs under Richt, & even though they’ve struggled recently…every team has down yrs. I think Iowas had a pretty good team recently, but I don’t believe they’ve even won their conference…unlike. UGA, & let’s remember that UGA plays in the SEC, which is a better conference…might I add.
Wednesday NFL Wrap
May 12th, 2011
6:09 am
[...] keeping eye on Newton (Atlanta Journal-Constitution) Some of the Falcons defenders had some thoughts on Newton and they shared their plans to [...]
StatesBurr
May 12th, 2011
7:06 am
DawginLex May 11th, 2011 9:45 am
Excellent Point regarding Iowa… DOL seems a little jealous that he didn’t get the Bulldog post…
However with UGA fan base he couldn’t take the heat. You actually have to be on your game and spell correctly.
gadome
May 12th, 2011
10:59 am
Last year is history if the season resumes this year the Falcons needs to tackle the oppents qb and rb better because we couldn’t do it most of last year. Newton wont be any easier with his size and running ability.
IceFan
May 12th, 2011
5:51 pm
Can’t wait until our Falcons play the Panthers this year, especially if Cam is starting. I think he may turn out to be a solid starter eventually, but not for a few years and not unless he can somehow stay humble and work his ass off. I just don’t think the guy is anywhere near NFL ready. I don’t see them holding up a card with a number on it on the sideline to call plays like they did at Auburn.
ctfalconsfan
May 13th, 2011
12:56 pm
Newton will be out of football in 4 years.
ugaclassof2004
May 13th, 2011
1:11 pm
In regards to Cam Newton:
1. I think a LOT of you underestimate him as a leader. I’m saying the guy is Tom Brady, but he’s not just some idiot slinging the ball around either i.e. Jamarcus Russell.
2. Newton is a freak athlete, and sometimes that is good enough to win you some games in the NFL especially late in the year when you’ll see bad teams win what I call a “garbage win”. By that I mean that sometimes a horrible team by week 12 or 13 might knock off a team they shouldn’t because they have nothing to lose. That doesn’t mean they’re a good team, it just means the other teams are letting down their guards or have already clinched their division and therefore don’t care if they lose. Given that scenario, it wouldn’t be impossible to believe that a team as bad as Carolina could knock off an Atlanta or a New Orleans under the right circumstances.
3. The Panthers were last in the league in total offense and last in passing offense. They can only go up this year. Also, the Panther running game was 13th in the league which isn’t that bad. The Panthers are not horrible running the ball, and actually did pretty well vs. the Falcons when they did go to the run game. This bodes well for Cam Newton IMO.
My prediction: if Cam Newton does beat Atlanta, it will probbably be late in the season when it doesn’t matter. I think the Panthers are still a horrible organization, but I think they are good enough to finish with 2-3 more wins than 2010.
ugaclassof2004
May 13th, 2011
1:12 pm
In regards to Cam Newton:
1. I think a LOT of you underestimate him as a leader. I’m not saying the guy is Tom Brady, but he’s not just some idiot slinging the ball around either i.e. Jamarcus Russell.
2. Newton is a freak athlete, and sometimes that is good enough to win you some games in the NFL especially late in the year when you’ll see bad teams win what I call a “garbage win”. By that I mean that sometimes a horrible team by week 12 or 13 might knock off a team they shouldn’t because they have nothing to lose. That doesn’t mean they’re a good team, it just means the other teams are letting down their guards or have already clinched their division and therefore don’t care if they lose. Given that scenario, it wouldn’t be impossible to believe that a team as bad as Carolina could knock off an Atlanta or a New Orleans under the right circumstances.
3. The Panthers were last in the league in total offense and last in passing offense. They can only go up this year. Also, the Panther running game was 13th in the league last season which isn’t that bad. The Panthers are not horrible running the ball, and actually did pretty well vs. the Falcons when they did go to the run game. This bodes well for Cam Newton IMO.
My prediction: if Cam Newton does beat Atlanta, it will probbably be late in the season when it doesn’t matter. I think the Panthers are still a horrible organization, but I think they are good enough to finish with 2-3 more wins than 2010.
SAINTS LSU
May 14th, 2011
2:36 pm
@Dawlinlex see what Mr Brees, Mr Ingram, Mr Jordan, has to say about that you know who has the better team & you guys has no D to stop us we have add to our D & has the best running back in the draft Thomas, Bush, Ingram, & Ivory you know the deal & help on D side of the ball
SAINTS LSU
May 14th, 2011
6:37 pm
@ Ken Strickland please!!!! please!!!!!! tell me about the saints 29 rank D the Saints had a top 10 to 15 D do your home work before you talk & Hiramsaint just full of hot air one day he’s a saints fan & the next day a falcons fan
willdawg
May 14th, 2011
10:32 pm
News for you Falcon lovers. Yeah you’ll “get ” Cam this year. Given time and additional talent he will come to Dome or that mistake of an open air stadium and smoke the Burds. I hope sooner than later. Saints will win division and if you sleep on Tampa, they’ll smoke you too.
Bwhahaha… half a draft for Foolio!
EKII
May 17th, 2011
12:59 pm
“Bring it on” = classless Obama-speak, well beneath our refined Falcons.