SportsNation Blog Archives
Carolina Panthers
An enterprising website has put up a digital billboard in Denver asking Broncos fans whether they would rather have Tim Tebow or Peyton Manning next season. This morning on First Take, Skip Bayless guessed that 90 percent would vote for Manning, while Jemele Hill thought Tebow might actually draw up to 30 percent of the vote. Hill also guessed that if Cam Newton were substituted for Tebow, he would garner roughly 40 percent of the vote. Are either of them right?
You can follow the billboard, but you'll have to leave your email address to vote. Make your picks here to see what the whole country thinks and then hover over Colorado to see what the hometown folks are saying.
How valuable is Cam Newton?
Peyton Manning in 2010:
4,700 yds, 32 TDs, 17 INTs, 66.3% cpg, 91.9 rating
Cam Newton in 2011:
4,051 yds, 21 TDs, 17 INTs, 60.0% cpg, 84.5 rating
Is Ron Rivera right about Cam Newton?
Panthers coach Ron Rivera thinks Cam Newton deserves a spot in the Pro Bowl. Newton is third in the fan voting among NFC passers.
Who is the NFC's No. 3 quarterback?
Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees presumably have the top two spots locked up. Newton trails the others here in passing stats, but none of them have 13 rushing touchdowns.
Is Newton just in the wrong conference?
What if Newton was in the AFC? If you take Tom Brady and Ben Roethlisberger out of the mix, does he have a case against guys like Philip Rivers?
The ultimate franchise quarterback?
We know Newton will have the edge in Heismans on Andrew Luck, but is the Stanford quarterback a better pro prospect?
The NFC South is holding a private party this weekend, and you can't get in without a franchise quarterback. Drew Brees and the Saints visit Josh Freeman and the Buccaneers, while Cam Newton and the Panthers travel to face Matt Ryan and the Falcons in a weekend of divisional games. Does any division have a better quartet? Fantasy vote: What to do with Freeman?
- "I'm sorry Panthers fans, but if we held Aaron Rodgers to two touchdowns and put Mike Vick out of the game, then Cam Newton's future at the Georgia Dome doesn't look too promising." -- SN commenter rjharrington24
- "Carolina will stack eight in the box and dare Ryan to beat them, which he hasn't really done to any team yet." -- SN commenter Roys3428
The pick of the franchise quarterbacks?
Drew Brees is sort of the quarterback emeritus in the division, but is Cam Newton the best bet for success among the three young guys?
Who puts on the best show?
Bringing Brees back into the equation, does he still put on the best show in charge of the high-flying Saints?
Which team wins the division?
The Saints could emerge from Week 6 with a two-game lead on the rest of the division, or they could find themselves tied with Freeman's Bucs.
The Panthers may not have won yesterday's contest against the Cardinals, but Cam Newton gave Carolina fans no small amount of hope with his debut performance. Newton threw for 422 yards and two touchdowns against one interception, connecting with Steve Smith on both of his TDs. He wasn't able to get in the end zone in the final seconds, but is this really a knock against the rest of his stellar performance?
- "Congratulations, you threw for a bunch of yards against the worst pass defense in the league. And still lost. Plenty of QB's rack up huge yardage when constantly playing from behind. " -- SN commenter jjb5mvp
- "Cam played a great game yesterday. For a rookie to come and play that way it is astonishing. Carolina needs to sure up that D and get the running game on track. Nice job Cam. " -- SN commenter trvlngman03
Is Newton a flash in the pan?
Newton's sample size of games played so far is one, and the Cardinals aren't known for having an exceptional pass defense, but 422 yards is 422 yards. Hard to argue with results.
Will the Panthers win?
Anything more than two wins this year would be an improvement for Carolina, but Newton's performance may have given Panthers fans more than a scintilla of hope.
The first game of the NFL season kicks off in a little more than 24 hours, and we'd be lying if we said we weren't at least a little excited. Pro football can be a messy affair at times -- see the entire labor battle during the offseason -- but it's a glorious sport at its heart. Most every team's fan base has something to look forward to this weekend, although Colts fans may be dreading a future without Peyton Manning after the news that he'll miss at least his first game with a neck injury.
- Rank: Is Peyton Manning still in the MVP race? | Which are football's best teams?
- Vote: Which teams are the favorite to win each division?
Best game?
There are a lot of good matchups in Week 1 of the NFL's 2011 regular season. Steelers-Ravens, for example, could be a preview of a future AFC playoff game.
Colts without Manning?
Peyton Manning is out for an undetermined amount of time. This could be a prime opportunity for other teams to break Indianapolis' stranglehold on the AFC South.
Wouldn't it have been fun to see Cam Newton's undefeated Auburn Tigers play Andy Dalton's undefeated TCU Horned Frogs last season? Oh well, an NFL preseason game is almost as good, right? Right? While Thursday's game between the Panthers and Bengals was meaningless, what did it tell you about the rookie quarterbacks?
- "I find it hilarious how Dalton looked AWFUL the last two games, but somehow he is great after ONE game. The bengals are still terrible. Their O-line still can't protect the rookie long enough for him to read the field. At least Cam has his feet. Granted, he hasnt WOWED anyone. He still has a much higher upside than Dalton." -- SN commenter packtosh
Better short-term future?
Dalton competed 11-of-17 passes for 130 yards and a touchdown, while Newton completed 6-of-19 passes for 75 yards and no touchdowns (he did run for a score and gained 49 yards on four carries).
Better long-term future?
Can a second-round pick ever outplay a No. 1 overall pick like Newton? Well, the debate seems to rage on when it comes to Drew Brees and Michael Vick as products of the 2001 draft.
What about that other guy?
Carson Palmer didn't throw any passes Thursday night, mostly because he wasn't in the stadium. Will we see Palmer in any uniform this season?
AFC East
The Patriots responded to their 14-2 record last season by signing or trading for several marquee names. Are they good enough to beat the Jets?
AFC North
The Steelers fell just short of winning the Super Bowl last season, as their vaunted defense wasn't able to stop Aaron Rodgers and the Packers.
AFC South
Peyton Manning took a pay cut in order for the Colts to keep some of their key players, but is it enough for Indianapolis to win the AFC South?
AFC West
There's a brewing quarterback controversy in Denver, with Kyle Orton delaying the seemingly inevitable succession of Tim Tebow to the starting job. Can the Broncos compete with Orton?
NFC East
The Eagles made a number of humongous moves this offseason, including trading Kevin Kolb and signing Nnamdi Asomugha. Are they the team to beat in the NFC East?
NFC North
Aaron Rodgers led the Packers on an incredible run to a Super Bowl title last year. Are they the favorites in the NFC North once again?
NFC South
The Saints looked to make another deep run at a Super Bowl, but were stunned by the lowly Seahawks. Are they still an elite team?
NFC West
Speaking of the Seahawks, they won the NFC West despite a 7-9 record. Will they sneak into the playoffs once more?
We can understand if you don't want to take the time to grade your tech-support help on the other end of the telephone, but when we're talking about the dollars and emotion you've invested in sports, we think it's worth the effort. It's time for ESPN The Magazine's Ultimate Standings, in which SportsNation grades organizations on everything from ticket prices and stadium experience to the talent on the field, court or rink. Which team will end up on top this year? It depends on what you say.
Take part in the 2011 MLB survey
2010 MLB Ultimate Standings
1. Los Angeles Angels (Overall: No. 3)
2. Tampa Bay Rays (Overall: No. 6)
3. Colorado Rockies (Overall: No. 13)
4. Minnesota Twins (Overall: No. 14)
5. Atlanta Braves (Overall: No. 15)
Take part in the 2011 NFL survey
2010 NFL Ultimate Standings
1. New Orleans Saints (Overall: No. 1)
2. Indianapolis Colts (Overall: No. 4)
3. Green Bay Packers (Overall: No. 9)
4. Arizona Cardinals (Overall: No. 19)
5. Baltimore Ravens (Overall: No. 20)
Take part in the 2011 NBA survey
2010 NBA Ultimate Standings
1. Orlando Magic (Overall: No. 2)
2. San Antonio Spurs (Overall: No. 7)
3. Cleveland Cavaliers (Overall: No. 10)
4. Dallas Mavericks (Overall: No. 24)
5. Oklahoma City Thunder (Overall: No. 25)
Take part in the 2011 NHL survey
2010 NHL Ultimate Standings
1. Pittsburgh Penguins (Overall: No. 5)
2. Detroit Red Wings (Overall: No. 8)
3. Washington Capitals (Overall: No. 11)
4. San Jose Sharks (Overall: No. 12)
5. Chicago Blackhawks (Overall: No. 16)
With the exception of the hapless Panthers, who rode a 2-14 record to the No. 1 pick in the 2011 draft, the NFC South was competitive until the end. The Falcons are the No. 1 seed in the NFC, the Saints made the playoffs as a wild-card team, and the Buccaneers barely missed the playoffs despite a 10-6 record. What grade would you give each team in the NFC South? Cast your vote now!
AFC Grades: East | North | South | West | NFC Grades: East | North | West
Carolina Panthers
The only good thing about the Panthers this season is that their haplessness will allow them their choice of marquee prospects in the 2011 NFL draft.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Josh Freeman certainly resembled an elite QB this season, and the Buccaneers will be a force to be reckoned with if he turns the corner.
New Orleans Saints
Drew Brees reached a career high in INTs this season, but he's still Drew Brees, and the Saints are still able to defend their title.
Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons were seldom dominant but made few mistakes and shut down opponents' offenses to the tune of a 13-3 record.
Whatever else you want to say about LeBron James (keep it clean, Cleveland), the guy knows how to build drama. Even with reports surfacing before his televised spectacle that he would sign with the Heat, there was some genuine uncertainty about what would come out of his mouth that night. As for Brett Favre's future plans? Let's just say the sequel isn't playing out with quite as much suspense as last summer's original.
Only 18 percent of SportsNation voters think there is any uncertainty, with 3 percent convinced he's retiring and 79 percent convinced he's coming back. But as ESPN.com's NFL bloggers prove, there are always plenty of more intriguing questions to ponder.
1. Is Bob Sanders still an elite NFL safety?
Paul Kurhasky blogs: "Safety Bob Sanders only played in two games last season, the first for Larry Coyer as the Colts' defensive coordinator. Defenders loved that Coyer started incorporating some blitzes, something the team almost never did under Ron Meeks. I imagine Sanders as a scary blitzer who will get his chances for shots at quarterbacks." | AFC South blog | Vote
2. Will Joe Flacco and Anquan Boldin be the AFC North's best combination?
James Walker blogs: "That's where Boldin comes in. His job is to become the No. 1 target for third-year player Joe Flacco, who is trying to become one of the NFL's better quarterbacks. Boldin's presence also should take some of the pressure off Pro Bowl tailback Ray Rice and the running game." | AFC North blog | Vote
3. Is Laurence Maroney the answer or part of the problem?
Tim Graham blogs: "Maroney has never been able to rush for more than 835 yards in a season. He's averaged 3.9 and 3.3 yards a carry in 2009 and 2008, respectively.
This is the final year of Maroney's contract and if he doesn't start to live up to his first-round selection -- the 21st player selected overall in 2006 -- the Patriots will be looking to draft a back in 2011." | AFC East blog | Vote
4. Is Vernon Davis the face of the 49ers franchise?
Sacramento Bee's Matt Barrow via Mike Sando's blog: "Davis, it seems, has become the 49ers' go-to player not only when they need a touchdown on the field but when they need to sell the team and the league off of it. And why not? He's confident (just ask him), he's good-looking (just ask him), he's eager to please and he has a seemingly inexhaustible supply of energy." | NFC West blog | Vote
5. Will Jimmy Clausen start for the Panthers this season?
John Clayton blogs: "Clausen, as a quarterback prospect, is just what the Panthers have been looking for as a replacement for the departed Jake Delhomme. He's smart, talented and comes from a big-time school in Notre Dame. But [Panthers coach John] Fox doesn't have the luxury to think long term. Despite his success, Fox is in the final year of his contract and there is a good chance he could leave after the season. Fox must win now, which can be difficult with a rookie quarterback. " | NFC South blog | Vote
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