Can Cam Newton Carry Panthers Back into NFC Playoffs?

Ralph Freso/Associated Press

The Carolina Panthers picked up a statement win Sunday, besting the Arizona Cardinals 34-10 on the road. The victory put the team at .500 and has it right back in the hunt for the NFC South crown.

Cam Newton may not have been the sole catalyst behind the blowout victory over the Kyler Murray- and DeAndre Hopkins-less Cardinals, but the recently signed quarterback played a key role in beating a shorthanded foe that his team could not afford to lose to.

The team picked up Newton last week after starting quarterback Sam Darnold went down with a severe shoulder injury. While the incomplete fracture of Darnold’s scapula on his throwing shoulder may only need a month to recover, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Carolina is treating it as a season-ending injury.

That mindset prompted the club to dole out starter-tier money for Newton. Despite being unsigned since his preseason release by the New England Patriots, the 10-year veteran received $6 million in guarantees with the potential to make up to $10 million if Carolina reaches the postseason.

With that contract comes the expectation that Newton will not only make the Panthers competitive enough to accomplish that goal but also potentially remain a contender with him at the helm in 2022.

After Newton orchestrated a pair of touchdowns on his first two plays since rejoining the team that drafted him No. 1 overall in 2011, the Panthers appear to be on the right track.

Although Newton didn’t draw the start in his first game back, he did replace starter P.J. Walker for nine of the team’s 75 offensive snaps.   

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Newton made his debut during Carolina’s opening drive, punching in a two-yard score to give the team a lead it would not relinquish. The second score came on the Panthers’ following drive when he found wideout Robby Anderson on a two-yard strike.

While Newton only finished the day with three completions on four attempts for eight yards along with 14 rushing yards on three carries, his promising play should have the Panthers well positioned to compete once he assumes the starting role.

That could come as early as Sunday, when Carolina hosts the Washington Football Team at Bank of America Stadium. While Washington is coming off an impressive win over the defending champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers, this contest is winnable for the Panthers.

The WFT’s passing defense has been especially vulnerable, allowing 279.3 yards per game (the third-most in the NFL) and 22 touchdowns (second-most). It’s a perfect chance for Newton to get into a rhythm after not starting a game since Jan. 3.

With soft matchups against the Miami Dolphins (3-7) and Atlanta Falcons (4-5) on deck, Carolina is poised to head into mid-December with an 8-5 record.

The road gets tougher at that point. The Panthers must face the Buffalo Bills (6-3) before a divisional slate that includes two matchups in three weeks against the Bucs and a showdown with the New Orleans Saints (5-4). But even splitting those matchups could be good enough to reach the postseason at 10-7.

The NFC is top-heavy at the midpoint of the campaign, but the NFC South is lacking a clear-cut favorite. Not only are the Panthers a game ahead in the race for the final wild-card spot but also only trail the Saints for the No. 6 seed by a half-game and are just 1.5 games behind Tampa at the top of the division.

Carolina’s wideouts are surely excited about Newton’s potential to lift the offense into playoff form.

Ralph Freso/Associated Press

The receiving corps—which includes standout talent in D.J. Moore, Robby Anderson and rookie Terrace Marshall Jr.—has been solid if unspectacular this season. Carolina’s passing offense ranks 28th in the league. The receivers should reach new heights with Newton keeping defenses honest, as well as a healthy Christian McCaffrey back on the field.

No player will see a bigger boost from Newton’s return than McCaffrey. The superstar running back has been plagued by injuries recently, missing 13 games last year and five already this season. 

But since coming off injured reserve two weeks ago, McCaffrey has recorded over 100 yards from scrimmage in each contest, including a 161-yard outing Sunday. While the 25-year-old back has been effective without Newton, he hasn’t been as elite as he was in 2019, Newton’s final season in his first stint with the Panthers.

The Stanford product was scintillating that year, piling up 1,387 yards and 15 touchdowns on 287 carries and 1,005 yards and four scores on 116 receptions.

McCaffrey can lead this offense if he’s healthy, making Newton’s job much easier than it was in New England when he was asked to carry a team that lacked offensive weapons of McCaffrey’s caliber. 

The Panthers are sure to get plenty of support on the other side of the ball too.

Carolina’s defense has been one of the league’s best this season, holding foes to a mere 280.7 yards per game, the second-best mark in the NFL. Opponents are averaging just 19.3 points against Carolina, putting the squad ahead of all but five teams heading into Week 11.

While the run defense has some room to improve—it is giving up 107 yards per game, ranking No. 12—the front has been able to keep rushers out of the end zone, allowing only eight touchdowns all season.

Carolina’s ability to shut down the pass is what makes this defense such a force. It is by far the league’s stingiest, conceding just 173.7 yards per game.

It is an especially impressive feat considering the club acquired both CJ Henderson and Stephon Gilmore in the midst of the season after losing first-round cornerback Jaycee Horn for an extended stretch.

Jacob Kupferman/Associated Press

The pass rush has been ferocious as well, amassing 27 sacks (tied for the fourth-most). Carolina’s sack rate of 8.2 percent trails only the Minnesota Vikings’ rate of 8.3.

Brian Burns has recorded six sacks in 10 games while evolving into one of the game’s best edge-rushers in his third season. Offseason signing Haason Reddick has become one of the top QB hunters out there, with his 9.5 sacks leading the team and checking in as the fourth-most in the league.

Considering the Bucs just became the latest team to ride an unstoppable pass rush to a Super Bowl victory, the Panthers have every reason to believe they can emulate the success of their divisional rival.

While Newton may not be on the same level as Tom Brady, at his best, he’s a dynamic dual-threat talent, and defenses still have to allocate resources to stop him from carving them up on the ground. 

If the Panthers can turn it on down the stretch, they’ll have a real chance to make some noise and go on a run in potentially their first postseason since the 2017 season.