# How good is Cam Newton? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [December 7, 2015, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-is-cam-newton/739695 "2015-12-07T10:50:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/do_not_taunt/32/2968_2.png) [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Do_Not_Taunt)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2015, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-is-cam-newton/739695/21 "2015-12-09T21:36:21Z")
> [@VarlosZ](#): > > He’s been very good when healthy, but he hasn’t been even close to “arguably-the-best-QB” good since 2006. I tend to put more stock in regression to the mean. Sure, I don’t think anyone would argue that his career between 2006 and 2013 wasn’t too hot, but he had some injuries in that time, and some pretty severe ones at that. I don’t know how much of his mediocrity can be attributed to injury, and I don’t think anyone does. My question at this point would be for how long does he have to keep putting up 2014/2015 numbers before you’d switch your assumption from “he’s going to regress to his mean” to “he’s now performing at his true level, and any regression from here is age-related”? I’m pretty much at the latter point, but it sounds like you are still at the former. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2015, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-is-cam-newton/739695/22 "2015-12-09T21:40:09Z")
> [@fjs1fs](#): > > “over any other QB. . . ?” Really? Do you see who Brady’s throwing to? Yep, if I’m starting a team today from scratch, Cam would be top choice QB. ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2015, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-is-cam-newton/739695/23 "2015-12-09T21:48:01Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > Yep, if I’m starting a team today from scratch, Cam would be top choice QB. Because so much of that premise is based on the perceived “upside” and career longevity of younger players, let’s take age out of it. If all the NFL QB’s were the same age, would you still want Cam as #1? It’s fine if you do. That’s your opinion. Personally, I think taking Cam, who is 1-2 in playoff games, with a 80.5 passer rating, over Rodgers who has a Super Bowl ring and 101.0 passer rating in the playoffs, would not be the best option. ---
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2015, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-is-cam-newton/739695/24 "2015-12-09T22:34:21Z")
> [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](#): > > My question at this point would be for how long does he have to keep putting up 2014/2015 numbers before you’d switch your assumption from “he’s going to regress to his mean” to “he’s now performing at his true level, and any regression from here is age-related”? I’m pretty much at the latter point, but it sounds like you are still at the former. Kind of. Or, more accurately, I’d say you have to bake the uncertainty into the ranking. If there’s real chance he’s the #2 QB and a real chance he’s #10, you should factor in the latter possibility, even if you think the former is more likely. ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2015, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-is-cam-newton/739695/25 "2015-12-10T02:26:52Z")
Cam has weaknesses. Rodgers has none. Consistently week after week and year after year he will win you more games than Cam. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2015, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-is-cam-newton/739695/26 "2015-12-10T03:37:48Z")
> [@Laggard](#): > > Cam has weaknesses. Rodgers has none. Consistently week after week and year after year he will win you more games than Cam. Until like this season, he doesn’t. The answer, as it usually is, is Andy fucking Dalton. We’re going to show the world this season, aren’t we Andy? 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2015, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-is-cam-newton/739695/27 "2015-12-10T14:30:17Z")
> [@Hamlet](#): > > Because so much of that premise is based on the perceived “upside” and career longevity of younger players, let’s take age out of it. If all the NFL QB’s were the same age, would you still want Cam as #1? > > It’s fine if you do. That’s your opinion. Personally, I think taking Cam, who is 1-2 in playoff games, with a 80.5 passer rating, over Rodgers who has a Super Bowl ring and 101.0 passer rating in the playoffs, would not be the best option. If Rodgers were 5 years younger would I want him over Cam? Yeah, probably. As of today, who gets your MVP vote for this season? ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2015, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-is-cam-newton/739695/28 "2015-12-10T14:51:32Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > If Rodgers were 5 years younger would I want him over Cam? Yeah, probably. > > As of today, who gets your MVP vote for this season? At the very least Carson Palmer is by far more deserving. Andy Dalton, Tom Brady, Big Ben, AP… ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2015, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-is-cam-newton/739695/29 "2015-12-10T14:52:54Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > If Rodgers were 5 years younger would I want him over Cam? Yeah, probably. I don’t think the MVP come down to who is the younger player with more perceived upside. > [@Baris is Willin'](#): > > As of today, who gets your MVP vote for this season? I’d love to see a defensive player get it. Luke Kuechley. JJ Watt. Aaron Donald. Those guys are all difference makers who are better than anyone else on their team. But they’re not a QB, so it won’t happen. I’d definitely give it to Brady or Palmer before Cam though. ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2015, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-is-cam-newton/739695/30 "2015-12-10T15:26:15Z")
I will also point out that I don’t quite understand the idea that Cam’s running is what makes him a MVP. He’s rushed for 476 yards so far, which means, if he keeps pace, he’ll end up with 640 yards total, which is by no mean bad, but he’s already rushed for more than that twice in his career. And his 4.4 ypc is the lowest of his career, and a great deal worse than Russell Wilson (5.2 ypc), Tyrod Taylor (5.0), Aaron Rodgers (6.0) or even Alex Smith (5.6). ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2015, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-is-cam-newton/739695/31 "2015-12-10T15:26:29Z")
> [@Hamlet](#): > > I’d love to see a defensive player get it. Luke Kuechley. JJ Watt. Aaron Donald. Those guys are all difference makers who are better than anyone else on their team. But they’re not a QB, so it won’t happen. I’d definitely give it to Brady or Palmer before Cam though. Wow, just looked it up and Lawrence Taylor was the last defensive player to be named MVP. That’s ridiculous. (No Reggie White, no Ray Lewis, no cornerback ever). ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2015, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-is-cam-newton/739695/32 "2015-12-10T16:07:26Z")
> [@Hamlet](#): > > I don’t think the MVP come down to who is the younger player with more perceived upside. The question of who I’d rather have on my team is not related to the MVP question. I think there should be an offensive and a defensive MVP every year. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-is-cam-newton/739695.md?page=1)