Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton has taken a beating in the realm of public perception. That'll happen when you hit that sophomore slump and your team holds the worst record in the NFC.
Regardless of all the national criticism, Champ Bailey knows what he and the Denver Broncos will face this weekend.
"What Cam can do, nobody can do that," Bailey told The Denver Post. "He's big. And when he runs, he's hard to get down. He'll make you look stupid. And he has a cannon.
"When you combine all that, it's like a bigger version of Michael Vick -- but I think (Newton) has a better upside."
Bailey, a perennial Pro Bowl cornerback, called Newton a freakish athlete and doesn't buy into the slump talk.
"I wouldn't say slump," Bailey said. "I know at some point, (a young quarterback) is going to struggle in his first year or second year. It's just how he responds. I know at some point he's going to start getting it and making things click.
"He's a special talent."
Don't let a couple bad press conferences detract from the fact Newton is a second-year pro with a ridiculous amount of talent in a frame the NFL has never seen play the position.
Follow Kareem Copeland on Twitter @kareemcopeland.