Let’s take a look at some examples from 2018, emphasizing how Newton’s shoulder injury affected his ability to throw the deep ball.
This came late in the Week 13 game at Tampa Bay on 4th and long.
At the top of Newton’s drop…
…Devin Funchess is wide open in the middle of the field. As it is 24-17 with 2:25 in the 4th quarter, an accurate throw would be massive for the Panthers’ playoff chances.
Unfortunately, the throw from Newton isn’t even close to Funchess, as it sails over the receiver’s head and goes to the ground for a turnover on downs – Newton didn’t complete a pass that traveled over 30 yards in the air all season.
This is normally a throw Newton would have little trouble completing, which goes to show how much the injury to his throwing arm was affecting him already in Week 13.
In this example at Washington…
Norv Turner dials up a switch concept that schemes Greg Olsen open for what should be an easy completion.
There’s a defender looming near Olsen, but the window he gives Newton is more than enough for an accurate throw to be made.
That doesn’t happen, and Newton’s throw sails over Olsen’s head for an incompletion – Newton had a clean pocket, but missed here.
While this wasn’t the same Cam of old, there were some really good throws put in the mix.
Going back to the game at Tampa Bay…
Newton faces pressure at the top of his drop while Curtis Samuel races across the middle of the field.
Newton sees him, climbs up the pocket, and fires this beauty on 3rd and long to convert the first down.
At full health, Newton’s arm talent, play under pressure, and downfield accuracy are a feast to the eyes – reports that this most recent surgery was only to remove scar tissue and bone spurring is encouraging that the quarterback can return to his roots in 2019 and be fully healthy to start the season.
