Who’s The Better QB, Russell Wilson Or Cam Newton?
By Keith Myers
Jan 6, 2013; Landover, MD, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) rolls out on a pass play during the second half of the NFC Wild Card playoff game against the Washington Redskins at FedEx Field. The Seahawks won 24-14. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports
I was procrastinating a bit today on NFL.com when I ran across this video where LaDainian Tomlinson and Brian Baldinger were debating which QB they’d rather start a franchise with: Russell Wilson or Cam Newton. Both concluded they’d rather have Newton, which makes absolutely no sense to me.
Lets take a look at some of the important numbers from 2012 that we use to evaluate QBs. You’ll want to note that Newton was in his 2nd year, while Wilson was still a rookie.
| Wilson | Newton | |
| QB Rating | 100.0 | 86.2 |
| Comp % | 64.1 | 57.7 |
| Yards/Attempt | 7.93 | 7.98 |
| TDs | 29 | 19 |
| Ints | 10 | 12 |
| Red Zone Rating | 107.5 | 68.8 |
| 4th Quarter Rating | 102.7 | 94.8 |
As you can see, Wilson is clearly better in every important measure but one, and in that one, they two players are equal.
Dec 22, 2012; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) looks to pass in the first quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
None of that touches on the intangibles, that also tilts things in Wilson’s favor. While Wilson is known as one of the league’s hardest workers, Newton is is known for expecting his athleticism to get him out of trouble. On top of that, while Wilson is is a natural leader who raises the play of everyone around him, Newton is known to pout whenever things don’t go his way.
Now, I know I’m a Russell Wilson homer. I make no attempt to hide that. I know there are going to be Carolina Panther fans who think I’m crazy, but that’s ok. There is simply no part of playing QB in which Newton is better than Wilson. Not one.
I just don’t see any grounds that someone might use to take Newton over Wilson. I guess there are those who might still knock Wilson because of his height, but hasn’t he already shown that isn’t a problem?
At this point in their development, Russell Wilson is clearly the better QB, and I just don’t see how anyone could disagree.