Should Cam Newton Have Been Playing in Last Night’s Game?
Photo: si.com
The Carolina Panthers played their third pre-season game last night in New England against the Patriots, but it was Cam Newton’s first appearance this pre-season. With the team wanting to be extra cautious with Newton and his right shoulder after having arthroscopic surgery on it in the offseason, he sat out the team’s first two pre-season games. But last night with the team keeping a close watch on his shoulder, it was his ankle that was injured. In the first quarter, scrambling and attempting to avoid a sack, Newton was tackled, landed wrong on his ankle, and left the game in a walking boot. Early reports seem to think it’s not too serious, but more tests will be run today to ultimately determine the severity of the injury.
While the team and fans await the results of today’s tests, many fans are using this as another example of why starters shouldn’t play in the pre-season. To them, it does nothing but risk injury to important players for a game that is meaningless. But those people underestimate the importance of pre-season football games. Yes, it was unfortunate that Cam Newton was injured last night, but it was also the right thing having him in the game.
Like most people, I’m not a fan of pre-season football. I think four games is two too many and all the benefits gained from pre-season could be attained from just playing two. These games are just plain boring to me because their results have no bearing on the season, whatsoever. But that’s looking at it from a fan’s perspective. From a coach/player’s perspective, these games carry a level of importance that many fans do not seem to realize.
Photo: Getty Images
Every major sport has pre-season games for a reason. It’s to help the players and coaches work out the kinks, make adjustments, condition themselves, and help prepare themselves mentally and physically for the games that matter in the regular season. If star players skip out on the pre-season, they will not be as prepared as they would otherwise be if they had gotten some pre-season experience. And it doesn’t matter how long a player has been in the league or how much success they’ve experienced, they still need pre-season work to prepare themselves for the regular season. That is exactly why we saw Tom Brady playing in last night’s pre-season game against the Panthers. If the greatest quarterback in the history of the game is risking injury to prepare himself mentally and physically for the upcoming season, then Cam Newton certainly should have been out there as well.
Now like I said, I believe just two pre-season games is enough to successfully prepare players for the season and playing four presents too much of an injury risk to all players. But that’s another issue to be discussed. Cam Newton sat out the first two pre-season games, which is understandable, but by game three, he needs to be in there taking snaps. And I don’t believe he should play the entire games in the pre-season, but he should play the majority of the final two games. Last night’s injury happened in just the first quarter. So, while it is unfortunate, fans need to realize that him being in the game last night was the right call without a doubt. You cannot predict when injuries will happen and you can’t always play it extremely safe with your star players. Players need to take some hits in the pre-season to help get their body properly acclimated to the physicality of the sport before everything gets 10 times as fast and physical beginning week one. Comment below or on Twitter to let us know how you feel on the issue.
Garett