Cam Newton is back and, according to the latest NFL rumors, he’s thrilled to once again be on the football field but isn’t looking to be the center of attention. In other news, Russell Wilson didn’t blame his thumb for his poor showing against the Packers, while Dan Campbell is reportedly taking over play-calling duties.
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NFL Rumors: Cam Newton, Russell Wilson, Dan Campbell
Cam Newton “Proud” of PJ Walker, Says “It’s Not About Me”
Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton had the best return possible in his 2021 debut. Playing sparingly behind PJ Walker, Newton finished the day with two touchdowns, one on the ground and one through the air. After the first, the quarterback triumphantly took off his helmet and screamed “I’m back”. However, after the game, Newton switched the focus to the rest of the team in their dominant performance over the Arizona Cardinals.
Cam Newton scores and lets everyone know: “I’m baaaaack.”pic.twitter.com/pKA4inxIVq
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) November 14, 2021
“I know a lot of people in the media…want to make it about me. It’s not about me…This was an impeccable team win”. Newton even went out of his way to complement PJ Walker, saying that he was “proud” of the XFL legend for his strong performance.
Walker had a solid game, completing 22 of his 29 passes for 167 yards, no touchdowns, and one interception while adding another six yards on the ground. While he didn’t light up the stat sheet, he didn’t need to, as this game was never all that competitive. Newton will be the starter moving forward, but Walker has likely done enough to remain an NFL backup for the next few years.
Russell Wilson “Felt Fine” In Return to Lineup
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson had perhaps the worst game of his career last Sunday. Making his return from a finger injury, the quarterback completed just 20 of his 40 passing attempts for 161 yards, no touchdowns, and two interceptions. Seattle couldn’t put a single point on the board, the first time such a thing has happened with Wilson at quarterback.
It would be easy to blame Wilson’s finger for the sloppy performance, but the quarterback isn’t taking that excuse. Speaking to reporters after the game, the one-time Super Bowl champion said that “[t]he finger felt fine”.
Wilson said most of the offensive struggles stemmed from his two endzone interceptions. However, watching the film shows that the quarterback was inaccurate throughout the contest and missed plenty of easy tosses and downfield strikes. Seeing as Wilson beat his projected return timeline, it’s safe to assume that his finger wasn’t 100% and he was still knocking off some rust. Wilson will improve with time, but at 3-6, it might be too little, too late for Seattle.
Russell Wilson intercepted in the endzone #GoPackGo
— Sportskeeda Pro Football (@SKProFootball) November 14, 2021
Dan Campbell Taking Over Play-calling Duties
In case you hadn’t noticed, things aren’t going that well for the Detroit Lions. At 0-8-1, the Lions are on a collision course with the first-overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. The offense can’t move the ball, the defense can’t stop anyone, and head coach Dan Campbell is doing his best to improve the team down the stretch.
During Week 10’s tie to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Campbell took over play-calling duties from offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn. While the change obviously happened for a reason, Campbell tried to downplay the change, saying that he “wanted to be able to talk to [quarterback Jared Goff] in game.”
This change appears to have brought out the best in Detroit’s running game, as the Lions recorded a season-high 229 rushing yards. However, it didn’t change the fate of the passing game, as Goff completed just 14 of his 25 passes for a paltry 114 yards.
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