For as much promise as Cam Newton and the Panthers showed just a season ago, they've shown nothing but disappointment so far in 2012, dropping to 1-4 following today's loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
Once again, Cam Newton couldn't find his rhythm, completing less than 50% of his passes on the day.
The bad news is, help is not on the way.
The Panthers have their bye week to regroup, but they follow it with games against the Cowboys, Bears, Redskins and Broncos. Considering how they're currently playing, it's hard to imagine them pulling out any wins through that stretch.
Visually, the Panthers are simply losing confidence, especially Cam Newton. Late in the 4th quarter, the Newton completed a 3rd down pass just shy of the endzone, and the receiver was inexplicably unable to get the ball over plane of the endzone. On the ensuing 4th down attempt, Newton missed a wide open receiver, turning the ball over to the Seahawks.
One of the hardships of a young quarterback in the NFL is adjusting to losing. Many top picks come from college programs that rarely lose more than a few games in a season. Most young quarterbacks do just fine adjusting to tough games at the pro level, but some have a much tougher time coping with the losses.
Cam Newton showed great promise just a year ago, but for whatever reason, it just hasn't clicked in 2012. Unlike his rookie campaign, much of the blame for the Panthers' losses are falling on Newton's shoulders, and there have been varying reports that it's taking its toll on Newton's confidence.
The Panthers are catching their bye week at a time they desperately need it. Cam Newton and the coaching staff may want to re-evaluate the way they're operating as a team, and especially as an offense. Newton's confidence seems to be nearly shot, and unless the Panthers want a Ryan Leaf-esque outburst, they need to help their young quarterback out.
