Cam Closes In On Record Season

It has been a notable season in the NFL for quarterbacks so far, with Aaron Rodgers, Tim Tebow, Drew Brees, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Ben Roethlisberger all grabbing the headlines for varying reasons, both good and bad.

But it's rookie QB Cam Newton that has been quietly writing his own bit of history this season, as he is on the verge of becoming the most successful combined passing and rushing quarterback in NFL history.  The 1st round draft pick from Auburn Tigers has been in phenomenal form for the Carolina Panthers, putting up some truly astonishing numbers.

In 13 games, Newton has passed for 3,573 yards and rushed for 554.  He has already become only the ninth quarterback in history to pass for over 3,000 and rush over 500 yards, and is only 167 passing yards short of breaking Peyton Manning's rookie season record set in 1998.

Even more astonishingly, he is only 427 passing yards short of becoming the first ever QB to throw for 4,000 yards and rush for over 500.  With 4 games left of the regular season, you wouldn't bet against him hitting the target.

Cam Newton - Number 1 in more ways than one

So what makes Cam Newton such an effective game runner that he can post these sorts of numbers?

Of course, throwing for 4,000 yards is not particularly eyecatching, although noteworthy for a QB in his first season.  As a comparison, Drew Brees recently broke the NFL record for getting past the 4,000 yard mark in just 12 games, the fastest this has ever been done.  Newton's most astonishing stat is his rushing yards.

His natural athleticism and speed make him extremely effective at breaking out from the pocket when he needs to, and his ability to improvise has led to him rushing for 554 yards, including 15 touchdowns.  When you look at the Panthers season record of 4-9, it starts to become clear why there is a requirement for Newton to adapt to survive in games as he often doesn't have the offense required to execute the play book.

Sitting third in the NFC South, Panthers travel to the AFC South champions the Houston Texans (10-3) in Week 15 with Newton and his men up against one of the toughest defences in the league.  But the Panthers have nothing to lose and the rest of the regular season to start building towards next year.  I fully expect Cam Newton to reach that record breaking 4,000 yard target.

What a truly amazing achievement that would be.