Cam Newton and 5 NFL QBs Who Most Dictate Defensive Game Plans

Cam Newton has burst into the scene in the 2011 NFL season, and he is now among the top five quarterbacks who most dictate defensive game plans.

On any given play, Newton can torch you over the top of your defense with the long bomb. He can also kill you with his feet, as his 10 rushing touchdowns demonstrate (third place in the NFL). 

Newton is a player that drives defensive coordinators crazy. In fact, I'm sure a few of them might tell you at least a few of their grey hairs are directly associated with trying to make sure they bottle the rookie up.

No matter how hard they try, Newton usually finds a way to make a major impact in every game.

For the season, Newton's combined running and passing yardage amounts to over 3,500 yards and he has scored 22 touchdowns.

Whenever Newton figures out how to stop throwing the ball to the other team he will be even scarier to try to game-plan against. 

What other quarterbacks most dictate defensive game plans?

Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints

Nobody will ever accuse Drew Brees of being a running quarterback, but the savvy veteran knows how to beat opposing defenses better than anyone. The New Orleans Saints' leader dictates defensive game plans on a regular basis.

Drew Brees is the best gunslinger left in the NFL. He can make any throw on the field, and he has a dizzying array of talent at his disposal. With the addition of Darren Sproles and the emergence of second-year stud, Jimmy Graham, Brees is on pace to destroy Dan Marino's NFL passing record.

Another factor that causes problems for defensive game plans is that the Saints can pick up the pace and run a no-huddle at any time, causing the coordinators and players to have to adjust on the spot. 

Nobody likes facing Drew Brees and the Saints, especially come playoff time. 

Tom Brady, New England Patriots

With Peyton Manning out this year, New England Patriot Tom Brady is the best field general in the NFL. No other quarterback is so adept at seeing what defenses are trying to do. The thing that sets Brady apart even further than others is his ability to beat what he sees.

Like Brees, Brady can hit any receiver at any time anywhere on the field. Though not in the same category as Aaron Rogers or Cam Newton, Brady certainly can throw the deep ball. What is even more challenging sometimes, though, is that Brady is insanely accurate on the crucial crossing patterns that the Patriots love to run.

Usually, Brady and the Patriots are the aggressor when it comes to which team can dictate the flow of the game. Brady is among the best at dictating what opposing defenses do before and during games.

Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers

Ben Roethlisberger is the most mobile non-mobile quarterback in the history of mankind. Never before have I seen such an emphasis on keeping a pocket passer in the pocket as I've seen with Big Ben. He is one of the players that most dictate defensive game plans in the NFL.

Just about every Pittsburgh Steelers game I ever watch, the commentator will talk about not letting Roethlisberger get outside the pocket. Opposing defenses game-plan against it. He doesn't even run very well!

The thing is, Roethlisberger is deadly as a passer outside the pocket. His best always comes out when everything is collapsing around him. He has a penchant for pulling awesomeness out of his wazoo.

That being said, he is one of the hardest quarterbacks to game-plan against, and he causes a ton of headaches.

Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers

Everything you just read about Ben Roethlisberger, multiply it all by a factor of three and you have Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers.

Rodgers is playing outside his mind right now. He has thrown for 33 touchdowns and only four interceptions. Those are some crazy numbers. 

Whatever Rodgers and the Packers do on offense is always a step ahead of what the opposing defenses are trying to do. Rodgers dictates opposing defenses, not the other way around.

Rodgers and the Packers might just dictate their way back to the Super Bowl. It will be interesting if any team can manage to reverse the trend and make Rodgers come back at any point this year.

Tim Tebow, Denver Broncos

Tim Tebow of the Denver Broncos dictates defensive game plans more than any other quarterback in the NFL. The "read option" offense that Jon Fox has installed to suit Tebow's strengths is by far the most dictating offense in the league.

Whatever opposing defenses try to do, there is always another option built into the system to beat it. The reason why Tebow has been so successful in this system is that he makes good decisions.

Rex Ryan and the New York Jets tried their best to contain Tebow, but in the end, they fell short.

Tebow has the rare ability as a quarterback to do things most other players could never accomplish. He is built like Brian Urlacher of the Chicago Bears, he is as fast as most safeties and he breaks outside containment of defenses on a regular basis.

He dictates what happens, and defenses are constantly reacting to what he does.