Cam Newton was the man everyone was talking about. The Heisman trophy winner. The first overall NFL draft pick. The future of the Carolina Panthers. The best player ever to set foot at Auburn University. The guy who desperately needed to prove his doubters wrong and hoped to avoid proving the naysayers right.
Christian Ponder was the fourth quarterback taken in the draft, a twelfth overall selection by the Minnesota Vikings. With Donovan McNabb primed to be the starter, Ponder was eyeing a backup role where he could be mentored by the veteran quarterback.
Eight weeks into the 2011 NFL season, Newton has erased any doubts about his ability translating to the professional game and Ponder has done a lot over the last two games to establish himself as the Vikings’ starting quarterback. The two rookies, who trained together under Chris Weinke during the lockout, faced each other Sunday afternoon.
The Minnesota Vikings defeated the Carolina Panthers 24-21 in a game that saw four ties and three lead changes. Cam Newton was unstoppable, throwing three touchdown passes and totaling 290 yards on 22 of 35 attempts. He also ran for 53 yards on six attempts.
He drove the Panthers down the field as time winded down, needing a field goal to tie the game. On a 4th-and 15 from their own 35-yard line, Newton took the snap in the shotgun and hit Brandon LaFell deep in the middle for a 44-yard gain and a first down to keep the drive alive.
Five plays later, Panthers kicker Olindo Mare was attempting a 31-yard field goal with just 29 seconds remaining in the game. The kick sailed wide left and Christian Ponder took the field as the Vikings lined up in the victory formation. One kneel by Ponder sealed the deal, putting him ahead 1-0 against his friend Newton.
Ponder was 18 for 28 in the game, racking up 236 yards and throwing a touchdown to Adrian Peterson. Newton’s scores went to Steve Smith, Greg Olsen, and Jeremy Shockey. Ponder, a Florida State product, spread the ball around, utilizing Peterson the most but incorporating Percy Harvin, Visanthe Shiancoe, Michael Jenkins, and Devin Aromashodu as well.
Chris Weinke ran his own form of training camp for the rookies based their playbooks (which they received during the temporary stoppage of the lockout). They took tests in a classroom, and applied what they were taught on the field.
“The biggest thing people missed [about Cam] was that they underestimated how smart he was,” Weinke said. “When he was at Auburn, that offense was simplistic. He did what he was asked to do: run a simple offense. People made the leap that that was all he could do. No one gave him credit for being an intellectual guy.”
The play that best describes the two quarterbacks didn’t take place in a game, but instead on the practice field. “I’m going to fly down the sideline,” Newton told Ponder one day during practice, “and I bet you can’t reach me.”
“Yeah, I can,” Ponder responded with a smile. He was right. Newton took off down the sideline, showing off his athletic ability as he ran full speed for the end zone. Ponder launched a 55-yard bomb to the end zone and Newton had to reach his arm out to make the one-handed touchdown catch.
“I just stood there shaking my head,” Weinke said, in awe of the pure talent he had just witnessed in action. That’s what every analyst, critic, and sports writer in the country is doing right now, shaking their heads in disbelief that Cam Newton and Christian Ponder are proving them all wrong.
