"Can Norv Turner fix Cam Newton"

[WFE12 9,191]

Can Panthers' pick of Norv Turner fix Cam Newton?

Charles Robinson Yahoo Sports

When Norv Turner left the Minnesota Vikings abruptly in 2016, the red flags lining his route of departure had everything to do with the quarterback.

As head coach Mike Zimmer watched tape with his staff, he was frustrated over passing plays that were developing too slowly. He didn’t believe the team was committed to running the ball consistently. But most of all, he saw a spate of injuries around his quarterback and didn’t see the Vikings offense adapting to the personnel. The team needed to get the ball out faster. It needed to lean on the running backs. And more than anything, it needed to change in order to protect a quarterback who was going through the meat grinder.

This is why Turner and the Vikings divorced. The offensive coordinator whose best days continue to grow more distant in the rearview mirror couldn’t – or wouldn’t – adjust a pocket-passing scheme to protect the precious cargo that was planted inside it. And now, this is what the Carolina Panthers and head coach Ron Rivera are reportedly deciding is the next best developmental step for Cam Newton. To pair him with an offensive coordinator whose rigid system has thrived through pocket passers – and whose stubbornness when it came to adapting that system left him at odds with his head coach in Minnesota.

It’s a risky play entering Newton’s eighth NFL season. But it also might be the last one Rivera has left available. They’re going off the cliff with Turner in 2018 – falling or flying.

It’s a hire, that the Charlotte Observer reported as a done deal on Thursday, that leaves two opposite schools of thought on Newton heading into this offseason. If you believe he has room to grow as a passer, then Turner is the hopeful gamble, putting a less-than-flexible 65-year-old in charge of boxing Newton into the pocket and forcing refinement in his timing, touch and ball placement. But if you look at Newton and see a player who has been in the league seven seasons and is largely locked into his skills as a passer, then Turner’s hire is an impulsive reach of a head coach who has few ideas left on offense. And it’s also a potentially massive mistake.

Regardless of how the data is chopped up, Newton is still missing something significant from his MVP season in 2015. While he was once again a bigger part of the running game in 2017, his 80.7 passer rating was the second lowest of his career. His 16 interceptions were his highest total since his rookie season. And if you believe numbers, it wasn’t an issue with the offensive line, which according to Pro Football Focus allowed the least amount of pressure that Newton has faced since the 2011 season.

That’s not to say there haven’t been missteps. Letting field-stretching wideout Ted Ginn Jr. leave fairly cheaply in free agency was a mistake that Carolina paid for all season long. The Panthers then dealt Kelvin Benjamin away at the trade deadline, largely in hopes that it would get more speed onto the field and open up a more vertical offense suiting Newton’s powerful arm. That was certainly one definitive way to go, although in hindsight the loss of Ginn and shedding of Benjamin merely removed talent from the equation without adequate replacement parts. That was a failure of the front office, straddling both former general manager Dave Gettleman and his replacement, Marty Hurney.

So begins the blame game, from the front office that failed to build correctly to the coaching staff that hasn’t adapted the scheme accurately to fit the quarterback. But blame Newton too, recognizing that while he wields a prolifically powerful arm, he has never developed consistent touch, rhythm and accuracy to thrive inside the pocket consistently. And also recognize that as much as Newton’s 2015 arrival as a staple MVP candidate was embraced, the truth is this: In his seven-year career his elite passing season in 2015 is the outlier, not the norm.

That season also touches on a particular brand of arrogance that all NFL head coaches share. If they see a player do something once, they believe it means he can do it again. And it’s their job to find a way to replicate the best performance every single season.

This is where Turner enters the equation.

For Rivera, Newton has shown the ability – albeit inconsistently – to succeed inside the pocket. And he also knows that’s the most sustainable place for Newton to stay healthy over the long term. The goal now is to upgrade the coaching and the pieces that mesh with the effort. Which brings us to the design of this offseason.

It’s why Rivera suddenly woke up at 3 a.m. earlier this week and decided to flip on his declaration that there were no imminent coaching staff changes. He saw what Newton was under offensive coordinator Mike Shula and quarterbacks coach Ken Dorsey – an inconsistent passer who was trapped inside a style that wasn’t easy to sharpen and replicate at an MVP level. So Rivera did what most coaches do in times of quarterback crisis. He reached out for someone different, but also someone familiar.

At least that part of this is undeniable. On some level, Turner is a hire of comfort for Rivera, who spent time with Turner as his defensive coordinator for the San Diego Chargers from 2008 to 2010. A comfort move that is necessary for a simple reason: Rivera’s latest contract extension (which takes him through the 2020 season) will be his last if he can’t get Newton back on track as a franchise quarterback. By the end of that deal, Newton will be 31 years old and have been in the NFL a decade, entering the outer edge of his prime years. If Rivera and the Panthers haven’t figured him out by then – or built a roster that accentuates whatever his ceiling is as a passer – they’ll have frittered away a phenomenal talent.

So now the chips get pushed onto Turner, who seemingly arrives as a round hole offensive coordinator in a square peg quarterbacks room. Aside from backup Derek Anderson, that is. Anderson actually fits the style of quarterbacks with whom Turner has succeeded the most historically. But Newton, well, he’s the riddle that Turner will have to stubbornly solve.

Either he will turn Newton into a high-functioning, consistent quarterback inside a passing pocket or have this entire effort come apart quickly. And with it, whatever remains of the Panthers Super Bowl window.

[WeagleAU 594]

I don’t think that it is Cam Newton that needs “fixing” so much as he needs an offensive line to give him time and a couple of more decent WRS.  Cam Newton does a great job when he is surrounded by a functional and competent cast.  Carolina has a lot more to fix than allegedly Cam Newton.

[AU64 10,122]

Interesting piece and the comments show how nuts fans are....bammers flock to Cam articles to continue venting their hatred.....or maybe some are dawgs? 

[aujeff11 6,243]

6 hours ago, WFE12 said:

Can Panthers' pick of Norv Turner fix Cam Newton?

Charles Robinson Yahoo Sports

When Norv Turner left the Minnesota Vikings abruptly in 2016, the red flags lining his route of departure had everything to do with the quarterback.

As head coach Mike Zimmer watched tape with his staff, he was frustrated over passing plays that were developing too slowly. He didn’t believe the team was committed to running the ball consistently. But most of all, he saw a spate of injuries around his quarterback and didn’t see the Vikings offense adapting to the personnel. The team needed to get the ball out faster. It needed to lean on the running backs. And more than anything, it needed to change in order to protect a quarterback who was going through the meat grinder.

This is why Turner and the Vikings divorced. The offensive coordinator whose best days continue to grow more distant in the rearview mirror couldn’t – or wouldn’t – adjust a pocket-passing scheme to protect the precious cargo that was planted inside it. And now, this is what the Carolina Panthers and head coach Ron Rivera are reportedly deciding is the next best developmental step for Cam Newton. To pair him with an offensive coordinator whose rigid system has thrived through pocket passers – and whose stubbornness when it came to adapting that system left him at odds with his head coach in Minnesota.

It’s a risky play entering Newton’s eighth NFL season. But it also might be the last one Rivera has left available. They’re going off the cliff with Turner in 2018 – falling or flying.

It’s a hire, that the Charlotte Observer reported as a done deal on Thursday, that leaves two opposite schools of thought on Newton heading into this offseason. If you believe he has room to grow as a passer, then Turner is the hopeful gamble, putting a less-than-flexible 65-year-old in charge of boxing Newton into the pocket and forcing refinement in his timing, touch and ball placement. But if you look at Newton and see a player who has been in the league seven seasons and is largely locked into his skills as a passer, then Turner’s hire is an impulsive reach of a head coach who has few ideas left on offense. And it’s also a potentially massive mistake.

Regardless of how the data is chopped up, Newton is still missing something significant from his MVP season in 2015. While he was once again a bigger part of the running game in 2017, his 80.7 passer rating was the second lowest of his career. His 16 interceptions were his highest total since his rookie season. And if you believe numbers, it wasn’t an issue with the offensive line, which according to Pro Football Focus allowed the least amount of pressure that Newton has faced since the 2011 season.

That’s not to say there haven’t been missteps. Letting field-stretching wideout Ted Ginn Jr. leave fairly cheaply in free agency was a mistake that Carolina paid for all season long. The Panthers then dealt Kelvin Benjamin away at the trade deadline, largely in hopes that it would get more speed onto the field and open up a more vertical offense suiting Newton’s powerful arm. That was certainly one definitive way to go, although in hindsight the loss of Ginn and shedding of Benjamin merely removed talent from the equation without adequate replacement parts. That was a failure of the front office, straddling both former general manager Dave Gettleman and his replacement, Marty Hurney.

So begins the blame game, from the front office that failed to build correctly to the coaching staff that hasn’t adapted the scheme accurately to fit the quarterback. But blame Newton too, recognizing that while he wields a prolifically powerful arm, he has never developed consistent touch, rhythm and accuracy to thrive inside the pocket consistently. And also recognize that as much as Newton’s 2015 arrival as a staple MVP candidate was embraced, the truth is this: In his seven-year career his elite passing season in 2015 is the outlier, not the norm.

That season also touches on a particular brand of arrogance that all NFL head coaches share. If they see a player do something once, they believe it means he can do it again. And it’s their job to find a way to replicate the best performance every single season.

This is where Turner enters the equation.

For Rivera, Newton has shown the ability – albeit inconsistently – to succeed inside the pocket. And he also knows that’s the most sustainable place for Newton to stay healthy over the long term. The goal now is to upgrade the coaching and the pieces that mesh with the effort. Which brings us to the design of this offseason.

It’s why Rivera suddenly woke up at 3 a.m. earlier this week and decided to flip on his declaration that there were no imminent coaching staff changes. He saw what Newton was under offensive coordinator Mike Shula and quarterbacks coach Ken Dorsey – an inconsistent passer who was trapped inside a style that wasn’t easy to sharpen and replicate at an MVP level. So Rivera did what most coaches do in times of quarterback crisis. He reached out for someone different, but also someone familiar.

At least that part of this is undeniable. On some level, Turner is a hire of comfort for Rivera, who spent time with Turner as his defensive coordinator for the San Diego Chargers from 2008 to 2010. A comfort move that is necessary for a simple reason: Rivera’s latest contract extension (which takes him through the 2020 season) will be his last if he can’t get Newton back on track as a franchise quarterback. By the end of that deal, Newton will be 31 years old and have been in the NFL a decade, entering the outer edge of his prime years. If Rivera and the Panthers haven’t figured him out by then – or built a roster that accentuates whatever his ceiling is as a passer – they’ll have frittered away a phenomenal talent.

So now the chips get pushed onto Turner, who seemingly arrives as a round hole offensive coordinator in a square peg quarterbacks room. Aside from backup Derek Anderson, that is. Anderson actually fits the style of quarterbacks with whom Turner has succeeded the most historically. But Newton, well, he’s the riddle that Turner will have to stubbornly solve.

Either he will turn Newton into a high-functioning, consistent quarterback inside a passing pocket or have this entire effort come apart quickly. And with it, whatever remains of the Panthers Super Bowl window.

What a load of quack. Cam isn’t an accurate passer but even Brady couldn’t throw our horrible receivers open. Rivera just sealed his fate.

[WFE12 9,191]

Panthers' pieces similar to Norv Turner success stories

 

Bill Voth

CHARLOTTE - Because the Ron Rivera/Norv Turner reunion has been the NFL's worst-kept secret since Tuesday, plenty of folks had a head start analyzing how the new coordinator will - or won't - help the Panthers' offense.

For me, the easiest way to look at it is this: Turner is almost like a hybrid of Cam Newton's previous two coordinators. 

Rob Chudzinski was a Turner disciple, but during his two years in Carolina, "Chud" often eschewed a power, clock-chewing run game for big numbers in a vertical-happy passing game.

Mike Shula did a better job doing what Rivera wanted with a ground attack that helped the Panthers lead the league in time of possession over the past five seasons, but Newton's numbers dipped significantly as a passer in a system that took limited shots downfield.

Part of Turner's job will be to find a better balance. 

Will it work? Maybe, maybe not. But Turner does have skill position pieces in place that could help him find similar success to some of his previous stops. 

Running Back: Christian McCaffrey as Darren Sproles

McCaffrey was drafted to be an electric playmaker. That's what Sproles was under Turner in San Diego. 

From 2007-11, Sproles averaged 4.6 yards per carry and 9.7 yards per receptions while scoring 21 total touchdowns, including four as a returner.

McCaffrey had his moments in 2017, but Shula struggled to find the rookie's sweet spot in the offense. That will be one of Turner's main charges.

A couple of other possible Turner-related analogies at running back - Jonathan Stewartas the bruising Michael Turner and Alex Armah as multi-dimensional fullback Mike Tolbert.

Tight End: Greg Olsen as Antonio Gates

This isn't exactly an apples-to-apples comparison as far as playing style, but Turner's offenses have almost always featured a productive tight end. And few at the position, if any, have been as productive as Olsen since he came to Carolina.

A broken foot made 2017 essentially a lost season for Olsen, but Monday he said, "I still feel I can play at a high level for a good while longer." There's little reason to believe his next season under Turner won't produce big numbers.  

Wide Receiver: Devin Funchess as Malcom Floyd 

Yes, I keep going back to the San Diego well because comparing Panthers players to, say, the Hall of Famers Turner had with the Cowboys in the early 90s is a bit premature. And because there's a decent chance the Panthers will give Turner at least a couple of new wideouts, pickings at this position are slim as far as similarities are concerned. 

But Funchess and Floyd seem like a fair comparison. 

While never a star, Floyd had a solid 12-year career. During six of those seasons in San Diego with Turner, the 6-foot-5, 225-pound Floyd averaged 35.8 receptions and 620.8 yards. 

Funchess, who's 6-foot-4, 225 pounds, has averaged 39 catches and 561.3 yards in his first three seasons. But his ceiling may be at least slightly higher than Floyd's was. 

Quarterback: Newton as no one

This is the wild card and the reason it could all go boom or bust. 

Turner has done wonderful things with quarterbacks like Troy Aikman and Philip Rivers. Turner even somehow cobbled together Jason Campbell, Brandon Weeden and Brian Hoyer with the Browns in 2013, a trio that completed enough passes for wideout Josh Gordon to lead the league in receiving yards. 

But during his three decades in coaching, Turner has never had a quarterback like Newton. 

Minnesota's Teddy Bridgewater was the only guy who could run, and while he didn't pile up a ton of yards on the ground during his two full seasons with Turner, it's not like he was solely a drop-back passer. That's not Newton's future, either. But Turner helped Bridgewater improve significantly as a passer, an area where Newton still has room to grow. 

[I_M4_AU 7,793]

The draft will be interesting for the Panthers this year.

[AUBwins 10,074]

Are there any true#1 receivers in free agency? If they can get one, I still think they need to get the best WR available in first round.  Then focus on Oline

[aujeff11 6,243]

17 hours ago, AUBwins said:

Are there any true#1 receivers in free agency? If they can get one, I still think they need to get the best WR available in first round.  Then focus on Oline

If only we could convince megatron to come out of retirement