Cam Vs. Wilson

[WestcoastSteve]

Newton probably has the best physical tools of any QB in the NFL. Does he have the brain to match like Wilson does? So far the answer is clearly no. Give me another season or 2 before I make that call.

Bingo, that's why intangibles are so important at the QB position. Physically Ryan Leaf was a much better prospect than Peyton Manning, fortunately the game of football is not played in a vacuum.

 

[WestcoastSteve]

The data will be more complete after Week 1. Head to head comparison.

Remind me how that went last year.

 

[WestcoastSteve]

This Kid > Newton

 

[BlueTalon]

The data will be more complete after Week 1. Head to head comparison.

Remind me how that went last year.

I just re-watched that game last night. After re-watching the 150-point three game stretch over the weekend.

It was painful. That Seahawk team was still figuring itself out. It was also tremendously exciting -- effectively this is going to be an early-season rematch of an early-season game from last year, but we aren't going to be an early-season team. Not if our QB has anything to say about it, and he does.

Maker my words, the Seahawks will be in mid-season form when they meet the kittycats.

 

[BlueTalon]

This Kid > Newton

Somebody with the ability to do it desperately needs to spoof this commercial with Russell Wilson images and dialogue in place of the kid!

 

[MizzouHawkGal]

In the end, I look at it this way... when he's "on," I don't know that there's a guy who can take over a game like Newton. But that doesn't make you a better QB... it just makes you a guy with special talent. To be a better QB, you have to be able to handle games that have turned against you and turn them back. You have to be able to make everyone around you better. And you have to be able to do that week in and week out... not just when things are going well. That's why I'd take Wilson over Newton.

Did you see Russell Wilson when he was "on" against Chicago and "on" against Atlanta?

2 drives 90+ yards back to back and 385 yards in a playoff game with no run game to lean on because you're down 27-7 "on"? Yeah, it's permanently seared into my brain.

 

[scutterhawk]

This is a "NO BRAINER" folks, you have to go with Mr. "Separation By Preparation" Russell Wilson.
Newton (like Vick) is skittish, and has a tendency to run far too often.
There's a damned good reason that these two have not become the super stars that the prognosticators hype would have us believe.
Yes, Wilson is playing for a far better team than Cam, but here's a couple of the differences that spells success for Wilson and not for Newton
1. Wilson adapted to the alterations cerebrally, and used that foundation as a launching pad, started tying his skillset to the new demands, and worked his ass off with the others in the offense to make it work
He hasn't forsaken or forgotten all that he's learned for Years now, but rather, tied the new in with the old.
With Newton, what you've seen, is what you'll likely see going forward, or, unless his coaches (who have relied solely on his athleticism) dishes up a new fare for him, and his ability to make the mental changes.
2. Wilson is just far better at speed reading Defenses, and after watching game film on them, and preparing for those particular confrontations, he can make adjustments for them a lot quicker.
Not taking anything away from Cam Newton's God given athleticism at all, but I'd bet a month's pay, that Wilson has the upper hand cerebrally, and that he is constantly working on the mental aspect of his position.
12 wins in one year vs. 14 in two?, like I said in the beginning, "This Is A No Brainer"
Hell, I'd even put KaePrick ahead of Newton at this juncture.

 

[pocketprotector]

Good god LT is an idiot. Cam has done more with less? No. He has done less with less.

 

[fridayfrenzy]

Take off the Seahawks glasses for one second.

Newton had probably the best QB rookie season ever in the history of the NFL. He threw for over 4000 yards, rushed for over 700 yards, passed for 21 TDS and rushed for 14 TDs.

He followed that up with another season which was also better than Wilson's stat-wise. 3900 passing yards, 700 rushing yards, 19 passing TDs and 8 rushing TDs.

I 100% believe that Wilson will be better over the course of their careers and realize looking at only stats is not the true picture, but to scoff at someone saying Newton is the choice over Wilson at this point is more believable than someone selecting Wilson.

 

[MizzouHawkGal]

I just don't like his mental makeup so far, now he has been saying all the right things this offseason so that may change. Because he does have the best physical tools of any quarterback in the NFL but mentally I am just not convinced. And his inability to run an actual NFL offense is worrisome.

 

[Schadie001]

Newton probably has the best physical tools of any QB in the NFL. Does he have the brain to match like Wilson does? So far the answer is clearly no. Give me another season or 2 before I make that call.

What is the phrase...Million dollar arm with a 10 cent head.

Of course Newton is the prototypical QB ie...big arm, big body, athletic.

But Wilson is even more because he is a natural leader (you can't teach it), outstanding work ethic (you can't teach it) and can read a defense (hard to teach it). All these trump a big body.

 

[DavidSeven]

Take off the Seahawks glasses for one second.

Newton had probably the best QB rookie season ever in the history of the NFL. He threw for over 4000 yards, rushed for over 700 yards, passed for 21 TDS and rushed for 14 TDs.

He also threw 17 INTs vs. Wilson's 9 and completed 60.0% of his passes compared to Wilson's 64.1%. Total passing yards is a pretty meaningless stat, especially if you play on a bad team. Carson Palmer threw for 4,000+ last season.

He followed that up with another season which was also better than Wilson's stat-wise. 3900 passing yards, 700 rushing yards, 19 passing TDs and 8 rushing TDs.

Wilson scored 30 total TDs vs. Newton's 27. Wilson's passer rating was 100.0 to Newton's 86.2. Wilson's QBR was 69.6 to Newton's 54.2. Wilson's completion percentage was 64.1% to Newton's 57.7%. Again, to me, total passing yards is an almost meaningless stat. Their YPA was nearly identical.

 

[fridayfrenzy]

Take off the Seahawks glasses for one second.

Newton had probably the best QB rookie season ever in the history of the NFL. He threw for over 4000 yards, rushed for over 700 yards, passed for 21 TDS and rushed for 14 TDs.

He also threw 17 INTs vs. Wilson's 9 and completed 60.0% of his passes compared to Wilson's 64.1%. Total passing yards is a pretty meaningless stat, especially if you play on a bad team. Carson Palmer threw for 4,000+ last season.

He followed that up with another season which was also better than Wilson's stat-wise. 3900 passing yards, 700 rushing yards, 19 passing TDs and 8 rushing TDs.

Wilson scored 30 total TDs vs. Newton's 27. Wilson's passer rating was 100.0 to Newton's 86.2. Wilson's QBR was 69.6 to Newton's 54.2. Wilson's completion percentage was 64.1% to Newton's 57.7%. Again, to me, total passing yards is an almost meaningless stat. Their YPA was nearly identical.

I am not doubting Wilson's efficiency vs Newton's, just showing that it isn't cut and dry that Wilson should be the easy selection and if someone doesn't choose Wilson it makes them an idiot.

I suppose this is a Seahawks message board though.

 

[gspin2k1]

The big thing that Wilson has over Cam is work ethic and leadership. Both of which COULD (again it's could not WILL) be learned. Is it wrong to believe that if Cam had the same work ethic and leadership as RW he would be better (provided they had the same skills around them to work with). Would I trade RW for Cam, no. But I'm not going to get pissed if people pick him over RW for this type of question just based on pure potential.

 

[kearly]

I think the answer is clearly Wilson. That said, I could make a solid case for Newton and it would go a bit like this: "Imagine Cam Newton with Harbaugh in SF." Kinda scary to think about, isn't it?

 

[pehawk]

Can we change kearly's title to "Secret 49er" fan?

Does Harbaugh get Cam with a 4 1st rounders across the line, too? Not taking anything away from Harbaugh, he's a great coach, but, being gifted the Great Wall of China at OL, day one, helps.

 

[Sonichellboy]

Let's hope we never find out how Newton and Harbaugh would work together. That said, my enduring image of Newton from last season was him doing his Superman shtick when he scored a TD against the Giants which brought the Panthers to within 20 points. It was weak, but that seems to be what he's about.

I don't hate the guy, but I can't see him being the leader that Wilson is becoming any time soon.

 

[hedgehawk]

I think the answer is clearly Wilson. That said, I could make a solid case for Newton and it would go a bit like this: "Imagine Cam Newton with Harbaugh in SF." Kinda scary to think about, isn't it?

That's a scary thought for sure. I'm sure he would look pretty amazing in that offense. Alex freakin Smith looked good in that offense.

 

[scutterhawk]

I think the answer is clearly Wilson. That said, I could make a solid case for Newton and it would go a bit like this: "Imagine Cam Newton with Harbaugh in SF." Kinda scary to think about, isn't it?

Okay, I do see your point, but since we're doing the what ifs?, Imagine what the 9rs would be like with Wilson instead of Newton.

 

[olyfan63]

I've described Newton as the Ken Phelps of QBs. Phelps put up good stats, but there was always the local understanding that he only hit home runs if the team was up or down by 6 runs or more.

I remember Ken Phelps. Hit a HR every 9 at bats or 13 at bats or some ridiculous HOF-esque number.
I didn't follow the M's close enough have the local understanding that it was only with +6 or -6 scores, thus facing ham-and-eggs long relievers.
I'll take your word for it, striking out repeatedly against other team's aces, while dominating their second-and-especially-third-tier pitchers.
I always wondered why, with his stats, he wasn't sought after as a free agent to sign for a bazillion dollars for the Yankees (though I think the Yankees did later sign him)

Interesting parallel with Newton. Undecided what I think about it (insufficient data), but interesting. If you have supporting data/specific situations/observations to illustrate this about Newton, that would be interesting.