Cam Newton Reminds Me Of.... John Elway

[OrangeHoof]

His temperment with the media after losses notwithstanding, Cam Newton reminds me of a young John Elway who lost Super Bowls for the very reasons Cam lost.

Newton is a player of extraordinary physical gifts and a will to win even when it looks like all is lost. When the offense breaks down, Cam puts it all on his shoulders. If he needs to run, he runs. If he needs to throw deep, he throws deep. Just as they used to say about the rest of John's offenses of the early 80s, the talent around him is very ordinary or even below average if you didn't have that great quarterback making them look better.

Elway bristled under Reeves' "keep it close" playcalling. Too early to say Rivera is the same way but it might be the case. I think Newton goes schoolyard if he's given the option.

Even look at the career path: Elway #1 overall in 1983, makes first Super Bowl in 1986 (season). Newton #1 overall in 2011, makes first Super Bowl in 2015 (season).

Elway and Newton are quite different than Peyton Manning who lacks the athleticism of the other two and wins plays before the snap rather than after the snap by reading the defense and changing to the play best designed to work and then executing to precision the play as called. The more athletic guys take plays that won't work and then ad-lib with their legs or their arm to make it work anyway.

When it gets to the Super Bowl, Elway did not have enough talent around him to win those games in the 80s. Likewise, Newton didn't have enough talent around him last night.

What Cam does for the rest of his career is up to him but, so far, his first four years look oh so familiar.

[smith49]

Couple things here. Elway never had even close to the talent that Cam has until TD and that Oline came around. Elway had no run game and no D what so ever when he was younger. He alone carried those teams to Super Bowls. Cam has a top 5 D, and a top tier run game to lean on. Also, Elway wasn't Dabbin' and acting like a cocky duche bag all season and leading up to any of those super bowl losses. You can say they play somewhat similar, but I think Elway had much more upstairs then Cam has or ever will have. Just my opinion.......sort of.

[BroncoJoe]

I'm feeling offended at the comparison. They're nothing alike.

[Joel]

With age (hopefully) comes wisdom: Elway OUTRIGHT SAID last offseason that he wants to build a Dan Reeves team. Guess a 37-year-old helicopter knowing it might be your FINAL GAME reveals limitations you didn't think POSSIBLE at 27. I hope for Cams sake he figures it out sooner than later, but doubt Cam'd get into Stanford, and know he didn't have Jack Elway for a dad. Riverboat Ron's no stranger to NECESSARY risks, but knows the BETTER team should avoid high variance ball.

[chazoe60]

He reminds me of Elway in so much as he has arms, legs, and breathes oxygen.

[OrangeHoof]

Couple things here. Elway never had even close to the talent that Cam has until TD and that Oline came around. Elway had no run game and no D what so ever when he was younger. He alone carried those teams to Super Bowls. Cam has a top 5 D, and a top tier run game to lean on. Also, Elway wasn't Dabbin' and acting like a cocky duche bag all season and leading up to any of those super bowl losses. You can say they play somewhat similar, but I think Elway had much more upstairs then Cam has or ever will have. Just my opinion.......sort of.

I disagree on your assessment of Elway's cast. Sammy Winder was a heck of a back in the late 80s and the D had Karl Mecklenberg, Louis Wright, Tom Jackson and Rulon Jones just to name a few. Remove Newton from the Panthers and their O is below average and their D is good but not great.

I will agree that Elway didn't act like a hip-hopping thug but that has more to do with cultural change in the past 30 years. The young Elway did have critics who claimed he was arrogant and selfish. John was a coach's son who got a Stanford degree. Cam dropped out and went JUCO before graduating (?) at Auburn.

Still, on the field, I would consider their talents and careers very similar.

[Northman]

As a couple of others have stated i really dont see the same comparison at least very much of it.

The defense Cam has is way better than anything outside of the SB winning defenses that John had, in fact i would say the Panthers D this year is better than those as well just because for us it was more about the blitz packages as opposed to just a 4 man rush like the Panthers have. I do agree that some of the offense around Cam is not that great (although Stewart is better than Winder for the most part) as the wideouts are probably a wash compared to the guys John played with in his first 3 SB appearances.

Attitude wise following those losses John did get down but i dont ever remember him being short with the media or walking out after a couple of questions.

I just cant agree there are that many similarities honestly. I think even Riveria is a better coach than Reeves despite not having the length in coaching time yet. Reeves use to stranglehold John until he no longer could, Ron seems to have more balance and generally allows Cam more freedom throughout games.

[BroncoJoe]

I disagree on your assessment of Elway's cast. Sammy Winder was a heck of a back in the late 80s and the D had Karl Mecklenberg, Louis Wright, Tom Jackson and Rulon Jones just to name a few. Remove Newton from the Panthers and their O is below average and their D is good but not great.

I will agree that Elway didn't act like a hip-hopping thug but that has more to do with cultural change in the past 30 years. The young Elway did have critics who claimed he was arrogant and selfish. John was a coach's son who got a Stanford degree. Cam dropped out and went JUCO before graduating (?) at Auburn.

Still, on the field, I would consider their talents and careers very similar.

Uh, no. Russell Wilson is the same age (1 year older).

It's not generational. It's pompous arrogance and an entitled attitude by an individual.

[Nomad]

Uh, no. Russell Wilson is the same age (1 year older).

It's not generational. It's pompous arrogance and an entitled attitude by an individual.

Yeah....I just saw Newton's presser. He didn't do himself any favors by acting the way he did. Reminds me a little of Tom Brady after losses.

[Valar Morghulis]

Has anyone ever seen John Elway and cam Newton together at the same time?

[Timmy!]

I think he meant Donovan Mcnabb

[Joel]

Yeah....I just saw Newton's presser. He didn't do himself any favors by acting the way he did. Reminds me a little of Tom Brady after losses.
Wilson/Cam=the new Manning/Brady? Except Wilson plays for the swaggering inveterate cheats; wonder if they can do a trade....

[Ziggy]

Couple things here. Elway never had even close to the talent that Cam has until TD and that Oline came around. Elway had no run game and no D what so ever when he was younger. He alone carried those teams to Super Bowls. Cam has a top 5 D, and a top tier run game to lean on. Also, Elway wasn't Dabbin' and acting like a cocky duche bag all season and leading up to any of those super bowl losses. You can say they play somewhat similar, but I think Elway had much more upstairs then Cam has or ever will have. Just my opinion.......sort of.

Spot on. Cam has a top 10 defense, a great running game, and a good offensive line. The first 3 Broncos teams that Elway led to the super bowl had next to no talent. They really had no business being in those super bowls. Horrible defenses, horrible offenses, and no running game. He put those teams on his back and carried them into those games. This Carolina team would have crushed all 3. Cam has a ton of talent around him. No comparison.

[OrangeHoof]

I think he meant Donovan Mcnabb

I suppose I could have said McNabb (drafted 1999 and lost 3 straight NFC conference games 2001-2003 before reaching the Super Bowl) but then someone would say I was racist for choosing a black quarterback.

[TXBRONC]

I disagree on your assessment of Elway's cast. Sammy Winder was a heck of a back in the late 80s and the D had Karl Mecklenberg, Louis Wright, Tom Jackson and Rulon Jones just to name a few. Remove Newton from the Panthers and their O is below average and their D is good but not great.

I will agree that Elway didn't act like a hip-hopping thug but that has more to do with cultural change in the past 30 years. The young Elway did have critics who claimed he was arrogant and selfish. John was a coach's son who got a Stanford degree. Cam dropped out and went JUCO before graduating (?) at Auburn.

Still, on the field, I would consider their talents and careers very similar.

Sammy Wider was Bronco through and through but by no measure was he a heck of a back. The defense had some good players but overall they were not nearly as good as what Newton has.

[OrangeHoof]

Some of you guys talk like Elway was surrounded by 39 pieces of garbage. Here are the Pro-Bowlers Elway played with between 1985-89

LB-DE Karl Mecklenberg (85,86,87,89) made All-Pro (85,86,89)
DB Louis Wright (85)
DB Dennis Smith (85, 86, 89)
DE Rulon Jones (85, 86) made All-Pro (86)
OG Keith Bishop (86, 87)
RB Sammy Winder (86)
DT Greg Kragen (89)

Source: Pro Football Reference.com

[Northman]

Some of you guys talk like Elway was surrounded by 39 pieces of garbage. Here are the Pro-Bowlers Elway played with between 1985-89

LB-DE Karl Mecklenberg (85,86,87,89) made All-Pro (85,86,89)
DB Louis Wright (85)
DB Dennis Smith (85, 86, 89)
DE Rulon Jones (85, 86) made All-Pro (86)
OG Keith Bishop (86, 87)
RB Sammy Winder (86)
DT Greg Kragen (89)

Source: Pro Football Reference.com


No.

He wasnt surrounded by garbage but there is a reason those teams got ran over not once, not twice, but 3 times.

[chazoe60]

Cam needs to learn from his own teammates. Watching some of their pressers and they handled themselves like pros, Cam is a bitch. It's not just in lost game pressers either, its during games also. He pouts and becomes an introvert every time he starts facing some adversity. It's easy to be the fun guy and give game balls to kids when you're winning but a true leader pulls his teammates out of the doldrums when things start getting tough.

The book is written on Cam and chapter one is hit him early and he'll crumble mentally. He better rewrite that chapter or else he'll never be anything other than a slightly interesting footnote in NFL history.

[Northman]

S The defense had some good players but overall they were not nearly as good as what Newton has.

Exactly.

Denver had some good pro bowlers on there but as a collective they were nothing like the Panther defense of this year let alone this Bronco defense.

[DenBronx]

I'm feeling offended at the comparison. They're nothing alike.


I agree 100%.

[Joel]

Since we're (kinda) on the subject, and I was just a young Oilers fan then: How do folks who remember all 4 well think Winder compares to Hillman, or Sewell to CJ?

[Northman]

Since we're (kinda) on the subject, and I was just a young Oilers fan then: How do folks who remember all 4 well think Winder compares to Hillman, or Sewell to CJ?

Out of the 4 CJ is the better back. But in a grand scheme of things none of them compare to TD.

[Nomad]

Cam needs to learn from his own teammates. Watching some of their pressers and they handled themselves like pros, Cam is a bitch. It's not just in lost game pressers either, its during games also. He pouts and becomes an introvert every time he starts facing some adversity. It's easy to be the fun guy and give game balls to kids when you're winning but a true leader pulls his teammates out of the doldrums when things start getting tough.

The book is written on Cam and chapter one is hit him early and he'll crumble mentally. He better rewrite that chapter or else he'll never be anything other than a slightly interesting footnote in NFL history.

A bit of humility will help him grow.

[chazoe60]

Wilbon and TK-Stack-Money (old ass radio reference there) are absolutely eviscerating Cam Newton for his post game tantrum. on PTI right now.

[I Eat Staples]

Couple things here. Elway never had even close to the talent that Cam has until TD and that Oline came around. Elway had no run game and no D what so ever when he was younger. He alone carried those teams to Super Bowls. Cam has a top 5 D, and a top tier run game to lean on. Also, Elway wasn't Dabbin' and acting like a cocky duche bag all season and leading up to any of those super bowl losses. You can say they play somewhat similar, but I think Elway had much more upstairs then Cam has or ever will have. Just my opinion.......sort of.

Cam IS their top tier run game. Their backs and offensive line are average at very best. Their receivers are garbage. They have a good D though, that much is true.

I don't really see the Elway comparison, but Cam is certainly not playing with much talent on offense.

[MOtorboat]

I can see the comparison of their situation.

[Joel]

Out of the 4 CJ is the better back. But in a grand scheme of things none of them compare to TD.
No, I mean in terms of style and effectiveness. I never watched Winder or Sewell much, but it always seemed like Winder was more of a scatback and Sewell more the compleat RB, which is also how Hillman and Anderson (respectively) strike me. Because it also seemed to me those were good Ds with a GREAT QB but NO run support NOR protection. That is, Elway's done a bit TOO good a job of replicating Dan Reeves' teams.

I mean, OK, Winder and Bishop each made a single Pro Bowl, but I believe Bishop retired after the first or second SB, and I've never heard even Broncos fans say Winder was truly GOOD. That was a one-man offense, and its consistent results should've told us how SB XLVIII was going to go (it sure told ME.)

[Northman]

No, I mean in terms of style and effectiveness. I never watched Winder or Sewell much, but it always seemed like Winder was more of a scatback and Sewell more the compleat RB, which is also how Hillman and Anderson (respectively) strike me. Because it also seemed to me those were good Ds with a GREAT QB but NO run support NOR protection. That is, Elway's done a bit TOO good a job of replicating Dan Reeves' teams.

I mean, OK, Winder and Bishop each made a single Pro Bowl, but I believe Bishop retired after the first or second SB, and I've never heard even Broncos fans say Winder was truly GOOD. That was a one-man offense, and its consistent results should've told us how SB XLVIII was going to go (it sure told ME.)

Well Sewell was always more of a scat back, at least in terms of how he was used. Winder was the primary back but was never quite a dominant runner. My memory is a little fuzzy since its been so long but i dont ever really remember Denver using Sewell as much as guys like Winder or Wilhite (sp?).

[DenBronx]

Cam Newton reminds me more of Lebron James.

[Ravage!!!]

Elway came out of college being the greatest prospect in the history of prospects (still considered the best) because of is throwing ability. Cam is much more known for is running, although his passing has gotten better.

I don't really see them having anything alike in playing style.