NFL Predictions Week 2: Cam Newton's Hot Week 1 Performance Cooled by Green Bay

NFL Week 2 predictions are swarming because of how Carolina Panthers QB Cam Newton performed in his Week 1 debut. It was interesting to see how thick the spark beneath Newton was in his first official NFL start.

Maybe it is beating a dead horse with a two-by-four, however there is an unmentionable lack of couth when talking about a QB who was not even given the benefit of the doubt during his combine throwing drills and then moving on to breaking records during his first moments stepping onto a field.

We can hem and haw about how lackadaisical Arizona’s defense is, most notably their secondary, but, as a victim of unadulterated circumstance, Newton performed to the best of his abilities when asked to.

No longer can analysts use the statistic that Tom Brady has never thrown for 400-plus yards in a game to measure Newton’s credibility. However, it must be taken into account that Brady’s 517-yard game comes after rigorous seasons of pounding from the NFL’s most elite defenses, tape sessions and a few directions in humility courtesy of Bill Belichick.

Newton’s windmill celebration seemed to take a step in a totally different direction than the Patriots veteran QB, but numbers do not lie, completely.

Newton took his time dismantling Arizona’s secondary and increased the involvement of tight ends in Carolina’s offensive scheme.

Of course the play-calling and training in that arena must be somehow devoted to the efforts of offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski and head coach Ron Rivera.

Chudzinski, who coached Jeremy Shockey and Kellen Winslow during his tenure at the University of Miami, has improved how defenses respond to coverage and has controlled rotations on the field by making Shockey and TE Greg Olsen extensive threats.

Newton stepped onto the field like a true professional, even as he threw a pick into double coverage and tackled the receiver almost causing an immediate recovery. The rookie was composed and steady in his ball release and decision-making down the field. However, NFL Week 2 predictions bring forth an entirely different roster.

Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers, the defending Superbowl champions, will stroll into Charlotte, North Carolina staring down a team who has close to nothing to brag about. The Panthers have a single notable receiver and two tight end threats to draw coverage and provide man-to-man opportunities for Steve Smith.

Look across the line of scrimmage guys and gals.

Rodgers has WR Donald Driver, TE Jermichael Finley, WR Randall Cobb (who exposed the New Orleans Saints defense Week 1), WR Greg Jennings and maybe even James Jones if he begins to live up to the three-year $9.4 million contract the receiver inked with the franchise. (Not sure how things work with cheese heads, but I am pretty sure the offense would appreciate a wider range of production than a single catch and a single yard.)

If none of those options are free, Rodgers is prone to taking the risk of a concussion by exposing himself to hits that could land him on the sideline. But, with such a quick release and skilled receivers, that seems to be less of an option in the 2011 NFL season, at least not in the early strikes of the season.

But seeing that the offense has no direct bearing on how Newton decides to drive the doubted Panthers down the field, the defensive edge that AJ Hawks, Clay Matthews, Charles Woodson and BJ Raji gives the Packers should be noticed and well-prepared for.

There were a few times in the game against the Arizona Cardinals where Newton could have used a more extensive amount of time to do field reads and get the ball off to the proper eligible receiver. Yet, the pocket broke down more than the Panthers would have liked forcing Newton to throw away balls, or attempt to run the ball himself.

He was admirably successful with run-and-gun attempts at Auburn. But as Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz would say, “I don’t think we’re in Arizona anymore, Steve.”

The Packers are not going to allow Newton to take off during any spell of the game, nor is 178 yards going to be allowed for Steve Smith with CB Charles Woodson and interception specialist CB Tramon Williams chasing him down the field.

I am not sure which will be given the defensive assignment, but it will be interesting to see if an adjustment has to be made on Green Bay’s behalf regarding the sometimes over-confident Panthers receiver.

True to college form, Newton impressed everyone with a shocking display of what he could do at first glance. But, the 400-yard game that is so hard to come by for even the veteran quarterback, may not be as relevant for the rookie as he faces one of the NFL’s most effective defenses.