FanPost

How'd Joe Webb do (in case you were wondering)?

I had a chance to watch Carolina's first pre-season game this morning. The game was played on Friday, and I recorded its replay on NFL Network. I watched, because I wanted to see how Joe Webb did. Here are the essentials:

  • Cam Newton didn't play. Derek Anderson played a couple of series. Matt Blanchard played four series. Joe Webb came in as the 4th string QB at the start of the 2nd half and played six series.
  • Joe Webb was introduced to the TV audience by the commentators as "Cam Newton Lite" essentially alluding to Webb's obvious athleticism but suggesting that Webb is neither as strong nor as athletic as Cam Newton. Cam is obviously loved in Panther country these days.
  • Joe Webb moved the offense very well and did so under some challenging situations. The Carolina Panthers running game just couldn't get going. It seemed like the Panthers would start every set of downs by running two plays for minimal yardage and then ask Webb to throw on 3rd and long. He responded very well.
  • Joe showed great vision in the pocket. He moved well in the pocket. He went through his progressions really well. On a couple of replays, you could see him looking off the safety before targeting his guy. Overall his throws were crisp and accurate. He showed some nice touch on a couple of throws that required Webb to slow down the delivery - an intermediate throw early in the half and a fade on a two-point conversion to the corner of the end zone.
  • As usual, Joe Webb was great when the pocket broke down. He side stepped multiple rushes. In one case, he ended up with a DE draped on his back and was able to throw the ball away while standing tall. He ran for critical yardage on three plays when his only option was to run. The commentators marveled at his ability to stay in the pocket as long as he did, then as he continued looking downfield as he scrambled away from the pressure before finally turning on the jets. They similarly marveled at his strength as he bulled his way to a 1st down on 3rd and 10, and later ran over defenders on his way to an eight yard gain on 2nd and 10. He was strong and evasive in the pocket and when on the move.
  • On Webb's 31 yard TD pass late in the game, the commenter said, "Webb's arm strength is incredible."
  • Webb's final stats on the day were 16 of 28 for 180 yards; 1 TD and 1 INT. He was also the leading rusher on the day with 4 rushes for 30 yards. Two things to also keep in mind when reading those stats are that: 1) Webb had a 52 yard pass called back due to an offensive holding call; and 2) the interception on his stat sheet was 100% on Marcus Lucas, an undrafted rookie WR from Mizzou, who was running a quick slant route. Webb's throw was on the money. As the commentator said, the throw hit Lucas in the "bread basket." Somehow Lucas bobbled it and then in attempting to get the ball back, managed to flip the ball up and over about three yards. A nearby linebacker easily plucked the ball out of the air. The commentators comment "You make that catch 9 times out of 10" was an understatement.
  • Webb wasn't perfect. He was responsible for a delay of game 5 yard penalty that incensed his head coach. Webb also had several poorly placed balls. I counted three overthrows, one bounce pass on a two-point conversion attempt as he rolled and threw right and two throws were he tried too hard to get a ball to a tightly covered receiver. In my opinion, Webb could have ended the day with two interceptions. However, on balance Webb played very well and earned the accolades he was given.
  • Joe's Webb was credited with the commentators' "Drive of the Game" a 15 play, 80 yard drive that took 4:09 off the clock and ended with a TD.
  • Joe Webb was also named "Player of the Game. " At the time, his stats were 13/20 for 130 yards.
  • Perhaps the most gratifying honor of all was delivered by Webb's teammates. The Panthers bench was smiling, high fiving and jumping up and down as Joe Webb made play after play in the game. Cam Newton came onto the field a couple of times to cheer on Webb. I remember the times when the Vikings bench used to feel the same way.

There is some question as to whether or not the Panthers will take three QBs into the regular season. Last year the Panthers only kept two, so Webb will have his work cut out for him. However, Webb made his case for moving up the depth chart. The #3 quarterback for the Panthers, Blanchard, was 1 of 7 with 1 interception and 1 fumble. In addition, Joe Webb's versatility probably helps the argument for keeping a third QB on the roster in Carolina.

Meanwhile, back at home, our Christian Ponder is the 3rd string quarterback of the Vikings and went 3 of 7 for 37 yards on Friday and was booed off the field at one point. To my mind it remains clear that Frazier and the Vikings invested in developing the wrong quarterback. It's obviously impossible to say whether or not Webb could have blossomed into a consistent starting quarterback. He never had that opportunity. However, with Ponder having been such an utter disappointment, I think it's obvious at this point that Webb would not have been worse, and in my opinion, he has shown all the on-field poise, vision in the pocket and other-worldly athleticism to be pretty special. At this point though, I think it's pretty miraculous that after all of the ups and downs of the past four years (including Webb being moved to receiver in 2013) that we would see Webb return to his first game back as a quarterback and receive "Player of the Game" honors. Perhaps, just perhaps, we'll see a Cult of Webb chapter open up in Panther Country.

This FanPost was created by a registered user of The Daily Norseman, and does not necessarily reflect the views of the staff of the site. However, since this is a community, that view is no less important.