NUMBER 73: The 10th ranked QB on the #NFLTop100... @Panthers QB @CameronNewton pic.twitter.com/gr1CbTjCOx
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) May 21, 2015
Did you hear the terrible news? Cam Newton forgot how to play football. Yep, he did. It seems the Panthers quarterback had surgery on his ankle last year and lost all ability to throw a ball, run with it, or score touchdowns. The NFL Top 100 Players list is rolling along, and Newton tumbled 49 spots since last year, now resting at No. 73. It's perfect.
The NFL Top 100 is unlike other prefunctory rankings you'll see between now and the start of the season. It's a list forged by players and for the public. Ultimately it tells us one thing: The rest of the league is overlooking Newton, which should be music to your ears.
Yes, I know how this thing goes. We love Cam and want to defend him, so we pick up virtual sword and shield to defend him online. Look no further than the Twitter reaction to his No. 73 ranking as proof of that. Newton struggled last year, there's no denying that -- but there were extraneous factors that helped play a role. Dropped passes, a poor offensive line ... the list goes on. Newton needed help and he didn't get it at key moments.
That's not to say Cam was perfect either, because he very much wasn't. Unlike past years there's no statistical analysis or hidden figure that will show Cam was better than he showed last year. There were far too many mental lapses and bad mistakes coupled with the return of sloppy passing mechanics. Despite all this he still managed to throw for over 3,000 yards despite missing two games.
Now he's the underdog.
This is a really good spot to be in. Good NFL defenders aren't going to be ignoring Newton, but lists like this prove that he's flying a little more under the radar than last year. Now it's time for him to capitalize and he has the receivers to do it.
It's going to be fun to see him shatter the rankings that put him so far back in the list.