Live from Falcons-Panthers: Is Cam still Carolina’s man?
Cam Newton: Is the gifted quarterback the Panthers' leader or a man apart? (AP photo)
The Cam Newton backlash has begun, as if on cue. The man who was going to elevate the woebegone Carolina Panthers, similar to the way he’d lifted the Auburn Tigers on high, has been the subject of much criticism for his play and, most especially, his demeanor.
Cam takes losses hard. When you’re the team leader, you can’t take losses so hard that you depress the rest of the team. (This tends to lead, as night follows day, to more losing.) The wide receiver Steve Smith upbraided Newton on the sideline during the fourth quarter of Carolina’s awful Thursday-night loss to the Giants, and in the 10 days since that has become the talk of the Queen City.
(Side note: Charlotte is known as the Queen City. So is Cincinnati.)
About the Falcons: They’ve looked as good as any team in the league. They should win today. But Cam is capable of extraordinary things. One of his best days came in this building in December 2010. Which isn’t to say I’m picking Cam’s team to win 56-17 today. I like the Falcons by 10.
Whatever happens, I’ll be here to watch, comment and converse. I hope you’ll join me. And I thank you, as ever, in advance.
By Mark Bradley
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
1,070 comments Add your comment
JSS
September 30th, 2012
12:44 pm
Good luck Mark Bradley, you’re gonna need it… Snarky Central is smelling their top lips!
eric
September 30th, 2012
12:44 pm
Predictions Mark?
Henry
September 30th, 2012
12:48 pm
Falcons will win handily. Ryan will pick on their secondary all game. Turner will have a big game as well. And as for “CHOKE” because I know he’ll show up (unless Ryan is torching it like always), Mike Vick is on the borderline of being benched. That’s right, BENCHED! hahahaha
Answer this
September 30th, 2012
12:48 pm
The Nation is checking in one by one! 12 minutes to Rise Up time!
Hair Gel Dimitroff
September 30th, 2012
12:49 pm
If we lose this one, we’re over rated
Answer this
September 30th, 2012
12:49 pm
Look for Turner to have a big day today? I think he has a good day in him!
Bobby Petrino Can Go 2 Hell
September 30th, 2012
12:53 pm
I hope we have this game locked up by halftime to rest some…and no i dont mean 24-10 and go conservative, i mean like 38-3 and hold the lead resting. If its 24-10 keep rolling
Mark Bradley
September 30th, 2012
12:53 pm
I believe I say Falcons by 10, eric.
Answer this
September 30th, 2012
12:53 pm
I do think Cam has some type of game in him today…..a little sometbing to prove
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
September 30th, 2012
12:53 pm
7 Picks & 4 fumble recoveries.
The Falcants are ranked 20th in total offense.
What all this means?
It’s quite simple…..CHOKE needs turnovers from his defense in order
to score. When the turnovers stop coming, CHOKE will return to his
mediocre form.
NOT IMPRESSED……
HA HA
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
September 30th, 2012
12:56 pm
Last 2 playoff games……72-23
Are you kidding me?
How in hell do you go from PATHETIC to ELITE after numbers like that?
Answer: You don’t. You just beat up on basement dwellers…..
AFC West 5-7.
I have seen this story for 4 years and Prince Charming aint coming
HA HA HA
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
September 30th, 2012
12:57 pm
30-24 48-21 24-2
Anybody want to go in on Mega?
Henry
September 30th, 2012
12:59 pm
LOL you know what I think about CHOKE, he’s a funny guy. It’s no longer maddening. I think it’s quite funny and cute how he comes on here every week. He’s a Falcon fan. Just wants to see Ryan succeed that’s all. Welcome Choke!
Matty Bicep
September 30th, 2012
1:00 pm
Choke, reason we are only 20th on OF, is we shut it down every game because we have it locked up on the 4th quarter….and oh yea, we are 3-0 with TDs on the first drive, and have NEVER been behind in score….Boy your running out of material.
Henry
September 30th, 2012
1:01 pm
Yeah CHOKE is running out of material fast. He’ll be gone in January. No worries.
Matty Bicep
September 30th, 2012
1:02 pm
Wonder if Cam’s head explodes today….I mean, it is a fine line between hating to lose, and Hello Kitty.
Kew
September 30th, 2012
1:02 pm
Well lets see if the Falcons have alert down or will they still be fired up?
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
September 30th, 2012
1:02 pm
@Henry
Thank you!
That’s all I want….why can’t everyone else see that?
HA HA
Mark Bradley
September 30th, 2012
1:03 pm
Falcons win toss. Choose Door No. 3.
atlfalconsfan0125
September 30th, 2012
1:03 pm
Go Falcons! Lets score first.
Matty Bicep
September 30th, 2012
1:05 pm
Yes, Ryan 0-3 against Warner, Rogers and Manning…3-0 against Vick and Newton….I guess Ryan only loses to good QBs.
Henry
September 30th, 2012
1:05 pm
Panthers defense playing well so far. Gotta step it up Matt!
Henry
September 30th, 2012
1:06 pm
O-line not holding up well. Gotta step it up if we’re gonna win today.
Mark Bradley
September 30th, 2012
1:06 pm
Not the greatest opening series of the millennium. Pass dropped, pass batted down, sack.
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
September 30th, 2012
1:06 pm
CHOKE is really looking elite here…..ha ha
Like I said make him play the whole field without a pick or fumble
and he is the mediocre SCRUB we know best…..
HA HA
Lakewood
September 30th, 2012
1:07 pm
Nice job Clabo
Kew
September 30th, 2012
1:07 pm
Oh huh
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
September 30th, 2012
1:07 pm
FRAUDSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
HA HA
phil
September 30th, 2012
1:08 pm
Are we gonna lay down today?
Mark Bradley
September 30th, 2012
1:08 pm
Cam keeper. Into the Red Zone.
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
September 30th, 2012
1:08 pm
I TOLDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD YA…..
HA HA
CHOKE baits you LOSERS every year by beating up basement dwellers
then the true heart breaker shows up
Henry
September 30th, 2012
1:09 pm
I wanna know why we’re not running the ball.
phil
September 30th, 2012
1:10 pm
Zero pass rush….
Uh oh.
Henry
September 30th, 2012
1:10 pm
Hold them to a FG and that’s a win for the defense!
atlfalconsfan0125
September 30th, 2012
1:10 pm
Definitely not the start I wanted.
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
September 30th, 2012
1:10 pm
I’m laughing at you FOOLS…………
CHOKE hasn’t changed…..The Falcants haven’t changed………..
You IDIOTS get fooled every year.
Who’s laughing now………..
HA HA
Henry
September 30th, 2012
1:10 pm
Uh oh.
Mark Bradley
September 30th, 2012
1:10 pm
The Falcons look pretty bad. Which is why they’re behind.
Carolina looks great.
JSS
September 30th, 2012
1:10 pm
Whistling…
phil
September 30th, 2012
1:11 pm
Pathetic…..
What the hell are we doing?
Lakewood
September 30th, 2012
1:11 pm
Worst start imaginable. Where is the creativity Nolan?
J.J.M.
September 30th, 2012
1:11 pm
Uh oh stupid zone with no pass rush
Henry
September 30th, 2012
1:11 pm
We’ll rebound. It’s just one score.
Ted M
September 30th, 2012
1:11 pm
Mark – Do you think Medlen is gonna beat Whitey Ford’s record today?
I’m scared sooner or later the Braves are gonna lose one of his starts and I don’t want it to be against the Cards.
Sid
September 30th, 2012
1:11 pm
what are they hungover…looks like it.
Mark Bradley
September 30th, 2012
1:11 pm
First deficit of the season for the home team.
playmeortrademe
September 30th, 2012
1:11 pm
Hopes the Falcons didn’t think all they had to do was take the field to go 4-0. Need to wake up.
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
September 30th, 2012
1:12 pm
You guys are PATHETIC……….
Every year CHOKE fools you guys like the Republican Party…..
HA HA
Don’t hate me because I’m alwayssssssssssss right
Answer this
September 30th, 2012
1:12 pm
We in for a game today! Lets get our wits about us! I think this is another UGA UT game
Henry
September 30th, 2012
1:13 pm
Got a whole game left. It’s one score. Just 7.