NFL still flipping out over Cam Newton’s acrobatic TD for Carolina Panthers

Three days after Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton went head over heels into the end zone against Houston, “The Flip” was still getting a lot of buzz in NFL circles.

New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton watched it on a TV replay from a distance and thought Newton had nailed the landing.

Panthers safety Roman Harper called it the best of Newton’s highlight reel from his first four years-plus in the league.

For Panthers coach Ron Rivera, the flip took him back to his days with Chicago, where Bears running back Walter Payton never met a pile he couldn’t jump over.

As for Newton, he was still lamenting the fact that he didn’t finish on his feet.

“I just hate that I didn’t stick it,” Newton said Wednesday. “If I would’ve stuck it, you couldn’t tell me nothing.”

Newton’s 2-yard touchdown leap in the 24-17 victory over the Texans renewed the debate over whether Newton should take less chances as a runner.

On Showtime’s “Inside the NFL,” former Bengals and Jets quarterback Boomer Esiason praised Newton’s tough running style, but thought the flip brought unnecessary risk.

“I’m in a lose-lose situation,” Newton said. “If I would’ve run him over and something would’ve happened then, (people would have said), ‘He’s got to be more conscientious of how he runs. Cam’s running too much.’”

The 6-foot-5 Newton, who is listed at 245 pounds but plays closer to 260, took off for the goal line on a quarterback draw late in the third quarter. He went airborne over Texans safety Rahim Moore.

And if defensive end Jared Crick hadn’t hit Newton on his way down, the quarterback who has become synonymous with his Superman celebration may well have landed on his feet.

Newton admitted Wednesday he was “honestly scared” as he somersaulted through the air. He said running back Jonathan Stewart let out a loud “Whoooooh!” after Newton scored.

“I thought I was excited,” Newton said. “Stew was more excited than me.”

Through two games, Newton leads all quarterbacks with 24 carries for 111 yards. Seattle’s Russell Wilson is second among quarterbacks with 18 rushes for 109 yards.

Newton has more rushing yards than two teams — Detroit (107) and Philadelphia (70).

Newton’s 34 rushing touchdowns are tied for seventh among quarterbacks since the NFL-AFL merger in 1970. He needs only 10 more to surpass Steve Young, who ran for 43 touchdowns in a career that spanned from 1985-99, for the most since the merger.

Payton says Newton’s competitiveness has always impressed him.

“That’s the first trait you’re looking for in your quarterback – is he a winner? He understands each week what it takes to win,” Payton said on a conference call Wednesday. “That sometimes can vary, but that’s the one thing you see in him. But that (flip) was a pretty amazing play.”

Harper, a former Saints safety, has played with and against Newton. He believes Newton’s touchdown against the Texans was a chart-topper.

“I’ve seen him jump in the end zone. I’ve seen him do the quarterback powers. I was in the same division so I’ve seen all the games. That was by far the most impressive one,” Harper said. “And afterward I walked up to him and said, ‘That was very impressive. That was nice.’”

Newton was asked whether his phone blew up after his touchdown.

“Not more than usual,” he said. “The best is still yet to come.”

This story was originally published September 23, 2015 at 12:54 PM with the headline "NFL still flipping out over Cam Newton’s acrobatic TD for Carolina Panthers."