Cam Newton's Mobility Will Be Needed to Beat Broncos Pass Rush in Super Bowl 50

Super Bowl 50 is less than a week away, and the entire NFL world is waiting for the title game between the Carolina Panthers and the Denver Broncos. It's going to be a stellar matchup between two talented teams, two imposing defenses and, of course, two standout quarterbacks.

Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning has been here before. Though he has only lifted the Lombardi Trophy once in his 18-year NFL career, this will be the fourth time he has played in the Super Bowl. It may well be Manning's final game, and the pressure to earn a second ring will be on, but this isn't an entirely new experience for Denver's signal-caller.

The same cannot be said for Panthers quarterback Cam Newton. The fifth-year pro is making his first appearance on the game's biggest stage. In fact, he had only tasted NFL postseason victory once in his career before this season.

Yes, Newton once led Auburn to a national championship in college. He's also surrounded by an incredibly talented team, and he doesn't lack for confidence. However, there's no denying that Newton hasn't been in a situation quite like this before.

If Newton hopes to join his Denver counterpart in the one-ring club, he's going to have to handle the pressure of the moment. 

Of course, the bigger challenge is handling the pressure coming from Denver's potent pass rush. It's a challenge legendary quarterback Tom Brady and the New England Patriots couldn't rise to meet in the AFC Championship Game, and it's one that could make or break Carolina on Sunday.

But Newton has a weapon Brady has never did during his Hall of Fame career: elite quarterback mobility. 

The Broncos pass rush had its way with Brady for most of the AFC title game. 

According to ESPN's John Clayton, Brady was hit 20 times in the game. He was also sacked four times and threw three interceptions, including one on a potential game-tying two-point conversion attempt.

Because of his mobility, Newton can potentially avoid a similar fate.

In the Pocket

The most obvious reason Newton can fare better against Denver's pass rush is his mobility buys time in the pocket. Newton might not have the pure escape-artist skills of Russell Wilson, but he can still be quite elusive. He is quick enough (he ran a 4.59-second 40 at the scouting combine), and he has the size (6'5", 245 pounds) to avoid going down on first contact.

In a way, Newton is like a younger, faster Ben Roethlisberger when in the pocket. He is accurate when throwing on the move, and he can often buy the tenths of a second that separate sack from successful completion. 

Broncos backup Brock Osweiler, who has been simulating Newton in practice, recently explained why Newton's mobility in the pocket can create defensive nightmares. 

"[Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips] wants us to make plays in the pocket too, because that's what makes Cam so dangerous. He can run, he can throw, he can throw inside the pocket, outside the pocket," Osweiler said, per Lindsay H. Jones of USA Today. "He's a very talented player. Trevor [Siemian, the team's No. 3 QB] and I have our work cut out for us."

Avoiding pressure will be important, because Newton hasn't always thrived under it. According to Pro Football Focus, he was under pressure for 198 of his 557 dropbacks in the regular season. He completed just 49.7 percent of his passes when under pressure, was sacked 33 times and had six interceptions to go with five touchdowns.

If Denver's pass rush can get to Newton, it can have a heavy impact on Super Bowl 50. Buying time in the pocket will be key to opening up more things for the Panthers offense. 

As a Runner

Because of his size and speed, Newton is also effective as a rusher, both on designed runs and improvised scrambles. He rushed for 636 yards and 10 touchdowns in the regular season, and he has 3,207 yards rushing and 43 scores for his career. 

Pro Football Focus rates Newton first overall among quarterbacks in rushing for the year.

Newton is big enough to gain yardage on inside runs, and he is fast enough to do damage on outside runs once he hits the edge. The following screenshots, taken from the NFC title game against the Arizona Cardinals, show the latter ability.

First, the Panthers line up in what appears to be a passing formation. Newton is lined up in shotgun with three receivers split:

via NFL.com

However, instead of running pass routes here, Carolina's receivers move to run block, while Newton moves to the right end of the formation with the ball:

via NFL.com

Once Newton has the edge, and by the time the defense gets a hand on him, the Panthers have an 11-yard gain and a first down: 

via NFL.com

This was clearly a designed run, and it worked to perfection. The play came on 3rd-and-10, and it set up a 12-yard run from Newton on the following play that ended in the end zone. This is significant, because Newton's ability to run in similar situations means the Panthers will never have to be one-dimensional in them.

The Broncos defense can't expect to win every 3rd-and-long situation strictly with the pass rush. It may be forced to keep a linebacker or safety spying Newton in such situations, which will, in turn, affect downfield coverage. That's one less linebacker available to double, say, tight end Greg Olsen on third down.

This wasn't an issue for the Broncos in the AFC title game. Sure, Brady burned the defense on one long run for a first down, but Newton can do it consistently.

The other side to Newton's rushing ability is that it helps supplement the running game in general. One of the best ways to slow down an aggressive pass rush is to run the football. Teams just haven't been able to run against the Denver defense, which is ranked third in the NFL, with just 83.6 rushing yards allowed per game.

Newton's running ability should make the Panthers' ground game more effective on every down.

Up the Middle

Perhaps the biggest reason Newton can beat the pass rush with his mobility in Super Bowl 50 is that he isn't afraid to run directly up the middle when an opening presents itself. He's big enough and durable enough to do so, and this provides a direct counter to what the Denver pass rush does best.

The Broncos defense was so successful against the Patriots because it was able to consistently create pressure utilizing the three- and four-man pass rush. Sack artists Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware were too explosive and too powerful off the edge for New England to handle every play.

An example of this can be seen below.

Here, the Patriots are facing a 3rd-and-3 situation. Since the running game was virtually nonexistent, the Broncos defense did not hesitate to rush from the edge here. Both Miller and Ware speed-rush from the outside:

via NFL.com

Both blockers are beaten by the speed of Ware and Miller, and Brady's only option is to try climbing up in the pocket:

via NFL.com

Unfortunately for Brady, there are no open targets for him to find with the ball before the pass rush hits home. The result is a sack split between Denver's primary pass-rushing duo:

via NFL.com

If Newton finds himself in this situation, he will have more options because of his effectiveness as an inside runner. He could climb the pocket and try to find an open target for a quick strike, or he could hit the hole in front of him and likely pick up the first down with his legs.

This gives the Panthers more options on offense, but it also gives the Denver defense a lot more to worry about on their side. Broncos defensive coordinator Wade Phillips may have to start bringing the blitz to pressure Newton, which would then open up space for Carolina's quarterback to make plays with his arm.

The Bottom Line

We mentioned earlier that Newton hasn't before faced a situation quite like the one he'll be staring down in Super Bowl 50. Well, this Broncos defense hasn't faced a quarterback quite like Newton, either. 

The Broncos struggled against Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith in Week 10. Smith isn't as big or as fast as Newton, but he is athletic enough to be a running threat and a passing threat while on the run.

Smith hit the Broncos defense for 33 yards rushing and a solid 5.5 yards per carry in that game. Newton could easily double or even triple that total because of his ability to run both to the outside and the inside while directly taking on defenders.

These abilities make Newton a legitimate threat to hurt the Denver defense in a number of different ways. The game plan the Broncos have used thus far to beat great teams like the Patriots isn't going to work against Carolina's bright rising star.