Some Panther observers were surprised at Cam’s total of 13 carries in the season opener against Dallas, but this number isn’t an exception to the rule, it is the rule.
The Panthers have finally taken the last remnants of bubble wrap off their franchise QB.
The coaching staff is freed from having to protect the franchise’s investment into it’s QB for the sake of the future; the MVP is healthy, in his prime, and his time to shine is now – Cam carried the ball more than 10 times in each of the Panthers last five regular season games (4-1 in that stretch) and more than nine times in 10 of the team’s last 12 games (8-4) – prior to this, Cam never had double digit carries in even three consecutive NFL games. Offensive coordinator Norv Turner showed in Week 1 that he was ready and willing to unleash his brahma bull on the Cowboys and the rest of the NFC.
During Cam’s time in Carolina, the Panthers are 33-13-1 when their quarterback carries the ball eight times or more. Conversely, they’re 2-8 when he rushes three times or fewer. After years of handwringing about Cam’s running, we have ample sample size to say the Panthers have a better chance to win when Cam runs.
Cam’s QB record by rush attempts:
12+: 13-2-1
8-11: 20-11
4-7: 28-25
2-3: 2-8
Cam’s maturation as a runner has made his higher usage more viable over the years. Being willing to slide or glide out of bounds after picking up a first down means all carries are not created equal. Of Cam’s 13 opening week carries, three were kneel downs, one he coasted out of bounds, and one he was barely hit as he recorded his 55th rushing TD – breaking a tie with Matt Forte and Arian Foster and tying Tiki Barber, Larry Johnson and Chris Johnson for 57th all-time in career rushing TDs.
That’s five of Cam’s 13 carries accounted for, without a defender doing so much as breathe on him.
Carries and hits taken are two different things, and a Troy Aikman note during the TV broadcast echoes a common refrain from Cam – hits he takes in the pocket are worse than the ones he takes as a runner – obviously certain exceptions surely apply, but this seems to be the case on most blows. The Panthers coaching staff can be conscious of the pounding Cam takes without imposing arbitrary rules about carries — akin to a pitch count.
Cam has numerous times discussed getting into the game early with a run or two, and that’s exactly what happened against Dallas. Cam had four carries on the opening drive, later admitting he was a bit greedy in the read-option game, but was never featured as a runner again until it was closing time in the final two minutes of the game. Keeping Cam as a constant viable threat to run is the single greatest threat this offense can pose to a defense, particularly given the rash of injuries along the offensive line.
Now in his eighth season, there’s no reason to keep playing Cam for tomorrow. For a head coach and general manager who just had a new boss walk in, there’s no reason to plan for tomorrow. And for a 66 year old offensive coordinator who has been coaching NFL offenses since before his QB was born, there’s no better time than the present.
Rest assured, if the Panthers hope to achieve their goal of returning to the Mercedes-Benz dome again this season after today, Cam’s going to have to run to get there.
