Vikings’ key to stopping Cam Newton? ‘You keep on hitting him,’ says Everson Griffen
Cam Newton has been one of the NFL’s better quarterbacks since starting all 16 games as a rookie out of Auburn in 2011, but it’s been rough sledding against Mike Zimmer’s Minnesota Vikings.
Newton, 28, is in many ways the prototypical NFL quarterback: 6-foot-6, 260 pounds with a strong, accurate arm and the ability to take off and make tacklers miss. In 2015, he led the Panthers to a 15-1 regular-season record and the franchise’s second Super Bowl appearance.
The Vikings, however, have kept the 2010 Heisman Trophy winner in check. Since Zimmer became the Vikings’ coach in 2014, Newton is 0-2 against Minnesota with four interceptions and 12 sacks. In a 35-21 loss last September in Charlotte, N.C., Newton was sacked eight times and intercepted thrice without throwing a touchdown.
“Well,” Panthers coach Ron Rivera said Wednesday, “different year, different group of players. So, we’ll see what happens.”
http://www.twincities.com/2017/12/06/vikings-key-to-stopping-cam-newton-you-keep-on-hitting-him-says-everson-griffen/
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
The Vikings want to pressure Newton as a passer, force him into mistakes and turnovers, but they won’t be able to do that if he remains a running threat. That’s not easy.
Even Vikings quarterback Case Keenum, a less accomplished rusher than Newton, has made teams pay with his legs this season by extending plays and forcing the secondary to scramble. Newton is a good enough runner to be the running back by design. The Vikings want to take that away early.
The deciding factor in who wins those plays seems to be execution rather than some arcane scheme.
“You’re just alert for it, that he can keep the ball,” safety Andrew Sendejo said. “I mean, that’s really it. You’re alert for it.”
And when he does take off, Griffen said, “You’ve got to hit him like he’s a running back. Don’t hit him like he’s a quarterback because he’s not protected then. No cheap shots, you just hit him like he’s a running back. You just hit him.”
I don't know, just a question here, when ISN'T that the plan on any NFL quarterback? Pressure them, make them turn it over, and well play bad...
Yes that always is the goal but hitting cam is two-fold. Stop the play and rattle his cage a little---he loses focus when ye smack him a little
Edit Post (mod action — author will see a notice)
Warn Poster
Suspend User (3 days)
The user will be suspended for 3 days and will receive an email with the reason and information about how to appeal.