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
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1,070 comments Add your comment
MenVsBoys
September 30th, 2012
3:21 pm
Falcons D-Line running in mud. Can’t shed blockers.
Cal
September 30th, 2012
3:22 pm
They need to put a spy on Cam
Mark Bradley
September 30th, 2012
3:22 pm
Called a first down. Now challenged.
atlfalconsfan0125
September 30th, 2012
3:22 pm
Challenge that
phil
September 30th, 2012
3:23 pm
Julio isn’t working hard enough in practice would be my guess….
A head case perhaps?
ramblinwreck80
September 30th, 2012
3:23 pm
It AMAZES me how the refs miss so many of these sideline calls when they are STANDING RIGHT THERE!!!
Mark Bradley
September 30th, 2012
3:23 pm
“Running in mud” was Paul Johnson’s description of his defense against Middle.
MenVsBoys
September 30th, 2012
3:23 pm
Not even close on that catch. Right in front of the ref. Big name getting a call. But not for long.
Mark Bradley
September 30th, 2012
3:23 pm
This will be overturned.
phil
September 30th, 2012
3:24 pm
Our d line is nothing new….
No real rush in years, other than Abe, and how dumb is he? Proved it this week.
Mark Bradley
September 30th, 2012
3:24 pm
Julio Jones is among the hardest workers in the NFL. (Not just among Falcons.) He’s anything but a head case.
MFranklin
September 30th, 2012
3:24 pm
Zebras need to shake the rust
phil
September 30th, 2012
3:25 pm
Bring back the replacement refs!!
nobody
September 30th, 2012
3:25 pm
Mark, since you are at the game and we cant see Julio down field, is he just being covered amazingly well, or is Ryan just not looking at him?
Mora less Petrino
September 30th, 2012
3:26 pm
Need the right side to block better on this drive.
MFranklin
September 30th, 2012
3:26 pm
Yeah, Mark but that kind of talent is supposed to rise up in games like this… not disappear. I understand the criticism here.
Mark Bradley
September 30th, 2012
3:26 pm
Michael Turner: Two catches. Julio Jones: No catches.
Wouldn’t have figured on that.
phil
September 30th, 2012
3:26 pm
Good to hear, Mark.
Thanks.
J.J.M.
September 30th, 2012
3:27 pm
I can’t really tell what’s up with julio I’m assuming he’s getting doubled but you can still try using him on bubble screens and reverses
JSS
September 30th, 2012
3:27 pm
At Phil… No thanks…
jo
September 30th, 2012
3:27 pm
Needed that stop from the D but now we need a Td!
Mark Bradley
September 30th, 2012
3:28 pm
Julio has been targeted only three times. (I remember the pass on the goal line being broken up.)
jerry
September 30th, 2012
3:28 pm
Go Bobo, run up the middle 3 times and punt.
Mark Bradley
September 30th, 2012
3:28 pm
Turner drops a dump-off pass.
MenVsBoys
September 30th, 2012
3:28 pm
Offense is playing well enough. But with no pass rush, a lot of teams will extend drives, making for a long and exhausting season for this defense.
J.J.M.
September 30th, 2012
3:28 pm
Come on falcons run some clock
JSS
September 30th, 2012
3:29 pm
They’ve alway shown their Julio screens 3 times this year… That is playing with fire
Mark Bradley
September 30th, 2012
3:29 pm
Then Turner breaks a terrific run, dodging and weaving for the first down.
A good day for the big man.
phil
September 30th, 2012
3:29 pm
Great run….
MenVsBoys
September 30th, 2012
3:29 pm
Make up for that drop Michael!
Mark Bradley
September 30th, 2012
3:29 pm
And now busts off-tackle for 27 yards. Falcons moving.
phil
September 30th, 2012
3:30 pm
Attaboy, fatty!
MenVsBoys
September 30th, 2012
3:30 pm
Huge hole! Nice play call.
atlfalconsfan0125
September 30th, 2012
3:30 pm
there is that 100 yd game from the Burner!
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
September 30th, 2012
3:30 pm
CHOKE can’t blow his nose without Turner
Mora less Petrino
September 30th, 2012
3:30 pm
103 rushing yards for Turner. Eat clock, get points, close this out.
J.J.M.
September 30th, 2012
3:30 pm
Douglas lined up as #2 WR…something hass to be wrong with julio
JSS
September 30th, 2012
3:31 pm
“already”
jerry
September 30th, 2012
3:31 pm
A DUI can light a fire under one’s ass.
MenVsBoys
September 30th, 2012
3:31 pm
The Galaxy S-3 is a hunk of junk. Won’t last 6 months.
I dropped my fried twinkie
September 30th, 2012
3:32 pm
Never should have taken the ball first.
With CAM’S head all messed up we should have forced him to open the game.
We go 3-n-out and give CAM the ball at midfield.
That was not SMART.
Chirp
September 30th, 2012
3:32 pm
Oh, wait. I’m confused. I thought Turner was all washed up. Can some of you experts explain this to me?
Mark Bradley
September 30th, 2012
3:32 pm
Julio is on the sideline now. Douglas is the No. 2 wideout again.
Mora less Petrino
September 30th, 2012
3:33 pm
Dang CHOKE, your hero Ron Mexico is on the verge of getting benched by Andy Reid and you are obsessed with the highest rated passer in the NFL! What’s your issue dude?
Mark Bradley
September 30th, 2012
3:33 pm
Apparently — this according to D-Led — Julio’s hand is still ailing him. Hurt it last weekend.
David
September 30th, 2012
3:33 pm
I would trade Matt Ryan for him…..Carolina would not do it.
atlfalconsfan0125
September 30th, 2012
3:33 pm
hey Mark,
Whats the stat when Turner runs for 100+?
waynester
September 30th, 2012
3:33 pm
Julio’s body language is mighty hangdog–maybe he is on the “outs” with the O-staff….
Mark Bradley
September 30th, 2012
3:33 pm
Although he’s in for this third and medium
MenVsBoys
September 30th, 2012
3:33 pm
Rodgers is a frustrating runner to watch. Legs are moving 100 mph but he doesn’t seem to go anywhere.