Cam Newton threw 15 interceptions this season where 12 were in the regular season and 3 were in the postseason. In my previous film analysis we took a look at Newton’ 27 touchdown passes to see how he completed. This film breakdown will look at the opposite impact for his team that hindered the Panthers’ performance.
Regular Season Stats
Newton - 262/448 (58.5%), 6.98 y/a, 18 TDs, 12 INTs, 103 rushes for 539 yards and 5 TDs
Postseason Stats
Newton - 41/68 (60.3%), 6.53 y/a, 4 TDs, 3 INTs, 18 rushes for 72 yards
Note: Play numbers correspond to plays found here in the GIF Database.
Play 1
Situation: 2nd and 10 at CHI 25
Description: Q2 - (4:54) C.Newton pass short middle intended for B.Williams INTERCEPTED by L.Briggs (E.Ferguson) at CHI 21. L.Briggs to CHI 23 for 2 yards (B.Williams). The Replay Official challenged the pass completion ruling, and the play was Upheld. The ruling on the field stands.
Opponent: 5. CHI
Offensive Formation: Singleback Trips Bunch Left - “Lou” Call
Offensive Personnel: 12
Defensive Formation: Cover 1
Newton snaps the ball from under center watches the left side of the field. WR82 Cotchery lines up on the left side of the bunch and runs a wheel route, while TE84 Dickson is in front of the bunch running a seam route to find a gap between the linebackers and single-high safety. Newton releases the ball and it gets batted at the line of scrimmage into the air. LB55 Briggs dives at the ball and grabs it out of the air before it hits the ground.
This is a good defensive play by DE69 Allen to deflect the ball and Briggs deserves credit for the great catch on the play. Looking at Newton’s decision he was targeting TE84 Dickson on the seam route, which would have been a tight squeeze but a good decision.
Play 2
Situation: 3rd and 13 at CAR 29
Description: Q4 - (3:36) (Shotgun) C.Newton pass deep middle intended for K.Benjamin INTERCEPTED by R.Nelson at CIN 45. R.Nelson ran ob at CAR 24 for 31 yards (R.Kalil).
Opponent: 6. CIN
Offensive Formation: Shotgun Split Slot Right
Offensive Personnel: 11
Defensive Formation: Cover 3
Newton in shotgun takes the snap and immediately looks to the slot receiver running an out-route underneath the deep Cover 3 zone shell. After realizing he’s covered, Newton progresses to find WR13 Benjamin runnign a deep-in route to the first down marker. Newton does a good job of stepping into his throw knowing he will get hit by the defensive line running stunts. Unfortunately, Newton throws the ball high sailing it over Benjamin’s fingertips right into FS20 Nelson’s hands for the interception.
The mistake here is on Newton for overthrowing the ball, but also the decision-making process to force it to Benjamin while he’s under pressure. Situationally it’s 3rd and long on Carolina’s own 29 yard line with under 4 minutes left in the game. The Panthers are tied 31-31 so a mistake here could be the end of the game for the Panthers. In my opinion, Newton needs to take the flat route ran by TE88 Olsen and hope he can make the first down by breaking tackles or at least set up a short 4th down situation if the Panthers wants to go for it. Forcing a pass into three defenders surrounding your number one wide receiver isn’t the correct decision here.
Play 3
Situation: 1st and 10 at GB 37
Description: Q3 - (2:31) (Shotgun) C.Newton pass short left intended for B.Bersin INTERCEPTED by C.Hayward at GB 30. C.Hayward to CAR 49 for 21 yards (J.Cotchery).
Opponent: 7. GB
Offensive Formation: Shotgun Trips Left Far - “Rope” Call
Offensive Personnel: 11
Defensive Formation: Cover 3 with four underneath zone linebackers
Newton from shotgun runs play-action to RB28 Stewart and attempts to feed the ball to WR11 Bersin running a go-route on the sideline between defender zones. This is an easy interception by CB29 Hayward sitting in zone coverage. Just a poor decision by Newton who doesn’t identify the zone coverage. This ball should have been to WR82 Avant running to the left flat on 1st down.
Play 4
Situation: 3rd and 7 at SEA 34
Description: Q3 - (13:25) (Shotgun) C.Newton pass short left intended for G.Olsen INTERCEPTED by M.Burley [G.Scruggs] at SEA 36. M.Burley to CAR 40 for 24 yards (R.Kalil).
Opponent: 8. SEA
Offensive Formation: Shotgun Trips Left Far - “Rope” Call
Offensive Personnel: 11
Defensive Formation: Cover 2
This is one of Newton’s worst interceptions in 2014. After Newton takes the snap he gets flushed out of the pocket scrambling to his left and tries to flip the pass to TE88 Olsen while falling down but the ball gets picked by CB28 Burley instead. At this point in the game the Panthers are up by 3 points at the start of the 3rd quarter and this is just a careless error that allows the Seahawks to tie the Panthers and eventually beat them at home.
Play 5
Situation: 2nd and 2 at NO 41
Description: Q2 - (11:06) (Shotgun) C.Newton pass short middle intended for B.Bersin INTERCEPTED by C.White at NO 26. C.White to NO 28 for 2 yards (G.Olsen).
Opponent: 9. NO
Offensive Formation: Shotgun Pro Split
Offensive Personnel: 21
Defensive Formation: Cover 2
In this play, Newton has time to go through his reads and find WR11 Bersin on the hitch route over the middle underneath the Cover 2 shell. The ball is outside Bersin, but it hits him in the hands and bounces right into CB24 White’s hands for the interception. Even though the ball isn’t perfectly on target it still hits Bersin in the hands, so it should be caught. It’s just unfortunate it tips right into the defenders’ hands.
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Play 6
Situation: 1st and 10 at CAR 31
Description: Q1 - (13:15) (Shotgun) C.Newton pass short middle intended for K.Benjamin INTERCEPTED by C.Williams at CAR 42. C.Williams to CAR 43 for -1 yards (A.Norwell).
Opponent: 10. PHI
Offensive Formation: Shotgun Near - “Ram” Call
Offensive Personnel: 12
Defensive Formation: Cover 1 with two underneath linebackers
The Panthers run the slant-flat concept on the left side of the field with WR13 Benjamin running a slant-route and TE88 Olsen releasing into the left flat. CB26 Williams playing in off-man coverage jumps the route and picks the ball off jumping in front of Benjamin while LB50 Matthews drops back into zone coverage to bracket him as well.
This is just a terrible decision by Newton. First, Newton takes the snap and instantly reads the slant-flat concept. He realizes that Olsen is covered, so he moves on to Benjamin. Good. The problem comes next. Newton stares down Benjamin which signals CB26 Williams to jump the route and then he forces the ball to him for an easy double-covered interception.
Play 7
Situation: 2nd and 4 at CAR 26
Description: Q2 - (2:21) (Shotgun) C.Newton pass short right intended for J.Avant INTERCEPTED by B.Fletcher at CAR 34. B.Fletcher for 34 yards, TOUCHDOWN.C.Parkey extra point is GOOD, Center-J.Dorenbos, Holder-D.Jones.
Opponent: 10. PHI
Offensive Formation: Shotgun Right Slot Far
Offensive Personnel: 11
Defensive Formation: Cover 1
Newton takes the snap from shotgun and instantly targets WR81 Avant on the hitch route. This is a timing pattern that needs to be thrown with excellent anticipation, which Newton does a great job. Unfortunately, the problem is that Newton puts the ball too far to the inside making it an easy read and pick by CB24 Fletcher. Avant definitely doesn’t give Newton any help by coming to the ball to box out Fletcher, but this ball placement is the leading cause for the INT here.
Play 8
Situation: 3rd and 18 at PHI 49
Description: Q2 - (:23) (Shotgun) C.Newton pass deep right intended for J.Cotchery INTERCEPTED by N.Allen at PHI 5. N.Allen to PHI 8 for 3 yards (J.Cotchery).
Opponent: 10. PHI
Offensive Formation: Shotgun Trips Bunch Right - “Rob” Call
Offensive Personnel: 10
Defensive Formation: Cover 4 “Prevent”
In this play all three wide receivers run go-routes to the endzone right before the end of the 1st half. I’m not going to analyze this play any further since it’s an end-of-the-half heave.
Play 9
Situation: 3rd and 6 at ATL 44
Description: Q1 - (10:25) (Shotgun) C.Newton pass short left intended for G.Olsen INTERCEPTED by K.Ishmael at ATL 32. K.Ishmael ran ob at ATL 32 for no gain.
Opponent: 11. ATL
Offensive Formation: Shotgun Slot Right Far
Offensive Personnel: 11
Defensive Formation: Cover 2
TE88 Olsen runs an out-route past the first down marker. Olsen breaks free on his cut move to the outside where Newton finds him by the sideline. FS20 Lowery catches up to Olsen to get a hand on the ball as it’s not placed further enough outside. The ball deflects off of Lowery’s/Olsen’s hands right into SS36 Ishmael’s hands by the sideline. In this interception I blame Newton for the ball placement as it’s too far inside, but also give credit to Lowery for the pass deflection.
Play 10
Situation: 3rd and 2 at CAR 28
Description: Q3 - (13:44) (Shotgun) C.Newton pass short left intended for K.Benjamin INTERCEPTED by D.Trufant at CAR 33. D.Trufant to CAR 14 for 19 yards (K.Benjamin).
Opponent: 11. ATL
Offensive Formation: Shotgun Slot Left Near
Offensive Personnel: 11
Defensive Formation: Cover 1
Newton takes the snap from shotgun and targets WR13 Benjamin on the drag route on 3rd and short with the hope of picking up the first down. Newton starts to feel the pressure and doesn’t fully step into the pass leaving it with not as much velocity as it should have had. This allows CB21 Trufant sitting in off-man coverage over Benjamin to jump the route and return the ball for 19 yards up the left sideline.
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
