Cam Newton’s 15 Interceptions in 2014

Play 11
Situation: 1st and 10 at MIN 44
Description: Q4 - (2:29) (No Huddle, Shotgun) C.Newton pass deep right intended for D.Presley INTERCEPTED by J.Robinson at MIN 20. J.Robinson pushed ob at MIN 43 for 23 yards (R.Kalil).
Opponent: 13. MIN

Offensive Formation: Shotgun Slot Right Far
Offensive Personnel: 11
Defensive Formation: Cover 2

This is a garbage time interception throw to WR10 Presley on the right sideline. The Panthers are down by 18 points so this explains the forced pass to Presley by the sideline.

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Play 12
Situation: 3rd and 7 at CLE 36
Description: Q3 - (8:33) (Shotgun) C.Newton pass short left intended for J.Stewart INTERCEPTED by B.Winn at CLV 44. B.Winn to CLV 44 for no gain. The Replay Official challenged the incomplete pass ruling, and the play was Upheld. The ruling on the field stands.
Opponent: 16. CLE

Offensive Formation: Shotgun Bunch Right Near - “Rob” Call
Offensive Personnel: 11
Defensive Formation: Cover 2

Outside of Play 4 this is Newton’s other horrible interception of the 2014 season. Newton takes the snap in shotgun and steps up to avoid the free edge rusher. At this point Newton has the choice to either turn backwards and escape the collapsing pocket or scramble up the field. Hindsight is 20/20 but he should have chosen to scramble forward as none of his immedate reads were open, but he chooses to scramble backwards trying to make a play in the backfield. Newton escapes to his left and jump passes the ball while leaning backwards trying to get it to RB28 Stewart sitting open in the left flat. Just a horrible decision by Newton here when he should have either scrambled up the collapsing pocket to begin with, or just taken the sack up by 7 points in the middle of the 3rd quarter against the Browns.

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Play 13
Situation: 3rd and 13 at ARI 37
Description: Q2 - (5:05) (Shotgun) C.Newton pass short left intended for J.Cotchery INTERCEPTED by A.Cromartie at ARZ 33. A.Cromartie pushed ob at CAR 17 for 50 yards (C.Newton).
Opponent: 18. ARI (WILD)

Offensive Formation: Shotgun Slot Left Near
Offensive Personnel: 11
Defensive Formation: Cover 1

In this play, Newton takes the snap from shotgun and feels the pressure coming from the edge rushers. Newton steps up and releases the ball intending for WR82 Cotchery on the drag route. It’s 3rd and long, but the hope is that Cotchery can break a tackle and get the first down for the Panthers. Unfortunately, Cotchery wasn’t looking for the ball and turned away not expecting it to come to him so this was an easy interception by CB31 Cromartie. I don’t blame this pass on Newton seeing as if Cotchery was looking for the ball it would have been a short completion or at the very worst an incompletion over the middle of the field, but certainly not an interception.

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Play 14
Situation: 3rd and 4 at CAR 19
Description: Q1 - (7:07) (Shotgun) C.Newton pass deep right intended for C.Brown INTERCEPTED by R.Sherman at SEA 38. R.Sherman ran ob at SEA 38 for no gain.
Opponent: 19. SEA (DIV)

Offensive Formation: Shotgun Trips Right Far
Offensive Personnel: 11
Defensive Formation: Cover 2

It’s 3rd and short in the first quarter still tied 0-0. Newton takes the snap and bootlegs to the right finally stepping up into the pocket to launch the ball deep to WR16 Brown streaking down the sideline on a go-route. Unfortunately Newton leaves the ball well short of his mark making it an easy interception for CB25 Sherman on the sideline.

This interception is on Newton. Newton does a good job of keeping his eyes downfield while navigating the pocket from the bootleg, but he needs to move either throw this ball way further for Brown down the sideline or move on to a different target.

If Newton moved on from this read and instead targeted WR13 Benjamin on the crossing route this would have been an easy reception resulting in a large gain for the Panthers defense. Missed opportunity as seen above.

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Play 15
Situation: 2nd and 4 at SEA 13
Description: Q4 - (6:11) (Shotgun) C.Newton pass short right intended for E.Dickson INTERCEPTED by K.Chancellor at SEA 10. K.Chancellor for 90 yards, TOUCHDOWN. S.Hauschka extra point is GOOD, Center-C.Gresham, Holder-J.Ryan.
Opponent: 19. SEA (DIV)

Offensive Formation: Shotgun Trips Right Far - “Lasso” Call
Offensive Personnel: 11
Defensive Formation: Cover 3

This is Newton’s last interception of the 2014 season in the divisional round against the Seahawks.

In this play, Newton takes the snap from shotgun and goes through his reads throwing a bullet pass to TE84 Dickson in the right flat. Normally this would be a good decision to attack the Cover 3 shell of the Seahawks defense, but since he’s on the opposite side of the field this makes it easy for SS31 Chancellor to attack the ball for an easy pick six. This is a terribly thrown ball across his body that should have been to RB28 Stewart in the left flat for the first down. If Newton was on the opposite side of the pocket the ball might have gotten to Dickson due to less distance traveled (roughly 6-7 yards), but that extra air time allows Chancellor to take advantage of it.

By my count, Newton is responsible for ten of the fifteen interceptions and partially responsible for one more. Just like in his touchdown passes Newton has a tendency to underthrow go-routes leading to potential interceptions. There were a couple of occasions where Newton forced a pass to his number one receiver. Plays 4 and 11 are by far Newton’s worst interceptions of the season by being guilty of trying to make something when instead of doing the smart play. Next year it will be interesting to see how the Panthers offense looks with 2015 2nd round wide receiver Devin Funchess playing opposite of Benjamin on the intermediate routes as a possession receiver.

Click here for all of Cam Newton’s plays in the GIF Database.