New England versus Carolina?
Tom Brady versus Cam Newton?
If Newton’s TD celebration during a regular season can cause an uproar, imagine Media Day at the Super Bowl? It will make the Doug Williams “how long have you been a black QB” seem sane.
Brady and Newton present contrasts in playing styles. Brady from the pocket and Newton everywhere else. Each arrives with controversy in their recent past: On the heels of Spygate, Brady was suspended for four games for what NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell deemed obstruction of justice because he destroyed his old cellphone during the investigation into his participation in Deflategate. Brady’s suspension was overturned on appeal, and he did not miss a start.
Newton was arrested as a student at the University of Florida. He left and attended a junior college before enrolling at Auburn. Scrutiny followed after Newton’s father was alleged to have solicited payment for Cam’s services as a collegian.
Both teams are 9-0. New England head coach Bill Belichick adheres to a coaching philosophy of “Do Your Job.” Brady’s pinpoint passing wizardry is the main component of their high scoring offense.
Carolina head coach Ron Rivera has a more hardnosed approach, a run first offense and a great defense.
Brady is the odds on favorite to be named regular season MVP, while Newton is a secondary candidate due to a lack of passing stats. Cam’s ability to run the zone read allowed the Panthers to compensate for the loss of their leading receiving threat, WR Kelvin Benjamin. Newton has been proficient in presenting a run/ pass option, passing or rushing for touchdowns.
New England is the odds on favorite to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl and the Panthers currently have home field advantage in the NFC.
American Dream or Nightmare?
Captain America or Superman?
Brady is straight from Central casting, from backup to starter to superstar; married to the beauty queen; looks and dresses like an A-List actor.
Newton has operated in a bubble since he won the Heisman and entered the NFL as the number overall pick in the 2011 draft. He struggled his first two seasons going 13-19 as a starter. He won a division title his third season but was unable to win a home playoff game. His fourth season started slowly due to an ankle injury. He recovered well enough to win the division again and a home playoff game.
Brady is one of the most accurate passers in NFL history. Newton’s stats are at the lower end of QB ratings.
New England and Carolina harken back to an earlier time: the 80’s Celtics/Lakers rivalry. Outside of their local fans, the rooting sections are split closely among racial lines.
Larry Bird (Brady) hardworking, smart, substance over style Magic Johnson (Newton) flashy, talented, substance over style. Brady is the gold standard, while Newton offends the sensibilities of 9 year old girls in Nashville.
Newton has a thousand megawatt smile and was derided for it in a pre-draft report by scout Nolan Nawrocki, who stated that his smile was insincere and hid a nefarious nature. This amounts to trolling at this juncture, but NFL types are still suspicious of Cam and his personality. The uproar over his TD celebration was met with coded language about “unwritten rules.” Newton replied “if you do not want to see it, stop me.”
An ending with the undefeated Patriots meeting the undefeated Panthers in the Super Bowl would be a fitting conclusion to this NFL season.