Today we look at some young and very talented quarterbacks in Andrew Luck Cam Newton. There is no doubt there is a chance in the future that both of them can be of in the group of the next elite quarterbacks. Between the two of them, there are similarities and there are differences but there is a common goal and that is to be the franchise player of their organization and lead them to a championship.
Andrew Luck is a smart quarterback. When he was coming out of college he was compared to John Elway as the best “can’t miss” prospect of the decade. The Colts made a bold move in cutting Peyton Manning and drafting their next franchise quarterback. In Luck’s rookie season he and the Colts surprised the sports world by having an outstanding season and making the playoffs. This season the Colts have been inconsistent week by week even though they have an 8-4 record. The injury bug has also seemed to make its rounds in the locker room.
Newton has been on a struggling Panthers team since he was drafted a few years ago. The team’s record, however, has increased every season that Newton has been a part of the team. The Panthers are also known to struggle in the start of the season and catch fire towards the end of the season. Newton is now leading the Panthers on an eight game winning streak and faces a real division test this week against the New Orleans Saints. The Panthers and Newton have a great opportunity to show the nation that they are a legit contender for the division and possibly the championship.
From a scouting perspective, Luck has amazing accuracy. He understands trajectory, how to drop a ball over a defender trailing his receiver, or before his receiver reaches a defender in front of him. He leads receivers effectively so they catch balls in stride and don't have to adjust to passes, allowing them to utilize every available second after the catch.
His arm strength is solid but not like those of Matthew Stafford or Jay Cutler. He has great zip on the ball for short and intermediate passes which also helps a lot with his accuracy. With the loss of wide receiver Reggie Wayne, the long ball seems to have disappeared for the Colts because he was the deep threat. The loss of Wayne has also been a part of the struggles for the Colts offense as they haven’t been able to move the ball the way they want to.
Newton, on the other hand, lacks the football knowledge that it takes to change the plays at the line, and isn’t as accurate. His major strength is his dual threat ability. Newton can escape the pocket and make plays with his legs which makes him extremely dangerous to opposing teams. What helps Newton and the Panthers the most is the defense keeping opponents scoring 20 points or less in each of their wins. This defense is much improved from the seasons before and as we all know, defense wins championships.
Newton’s arm strength is about to as equal as Luck’s. He can get the ball down the field when he needs to and is lucky to have receivers such as the veteran Steve Smith. It seems to be that the one thing missing from this offense is a big wide receiver who can go up and get the ball for Newton since he isn’t very accurate. Once this team finds that type of player, the Panthers offense will be very dangerous and even more dangerous with the defense that they already possess.
In my opinion, the future looks brightest for Andrew Luck. He has all the intangibles and already acts like a veteran quarterback on and off the field. He is part of a great organization that still has a lot of work to do getting pieces around Luck to perform at a high level. The defensive side of the ball is what needs the most help so if the Colts can get it together over the years on defense, there is a good chance that Luck can lead the team to a championship or two; especially since their division is so weak at this point in time.
The way the Panthers are playing now, there seems to be a good chance that there will be some success for Cam Newton in the near future. Like I stated earlier, Newton just needs about one or two pieces on that offense that will put them over the top. The defense is already where it needs to be so once the offense catches up with the caliber of play, the Panthers will be a dangerous team for years to come. The only thing that could limit their success is the tough division that they play in. The Saints will not be going away any time soon and I’m sure we will see the Falcons rebound after this injury ridden season they are facing right now.
What we all need to realize is that we are in the process of watching two great quarterbacks grow and become better every year. Enjoy watching them through the years and don’t be surprised if you see a couple of rings on their fingers when their careers are done and over with.