Cam Newton’s Panthers debut (or re-debut, whatever you wanna call it) couldn’t have been more electric. The former MVP may have benefited from his limited role Sunday, taking up red-zone duties early in Carolina’s big win over Arizona. But all signs point to the veteran taking over at quarterback as soon as he’s up to speed — likely Week 11 against Washington. And not only that, but Newton’s arrival (return) to QB1 duties in Carolina marks a new chapter for the 2021 Panthers: true contention in the NFC.
There’s a reason Newton, 32, remained unsigned long into the season. There’s a reason the Patriots felt comfortable cutting him in August and turning the keys over to rookie Mac Jones. There’s a reason he sat unsigned long before landing in New England. The numbers don’t lie here: Since Newton’s peak as a Panthers superstar, winning MVP and guiding Carolina to the Super Bowl in 2015, the former No. 1 overall pick has been thoroughly mediocre as a passer.
So why on Earth should the Panthers be taken seriously with him under center?
Firstly, because Newton has never not been effective on the ground. Even during his half-decade of replacement-level aerial production, the big man remained a threat with his legs. Case in point: His lackluster 2020, in which he matched the dullness of a flat Patriots supporting cast, saw Newton log 12 rushing touchdowns.
And guess what? The Panthers are exactly the kind of team that could use a steady, bulldozing runner at the QB spot. They are built to win by controlling the ball and clock, leaving games in the hands of their suffocating defense, so pairing Newton’s imposing ground game with the short-area dynamism of Christian McCaffrey makes for a promising recipe.
Secondly, the Panthers literally got nothing but mediocre production at QB up until Cam’s return. Sam Darnold started the season hot but quickly cooled, then froze, reverting to the skittish form he inhabited for much of his failed run with the Jets. P.J. Walker, his replacement, did his job to help lead Sunday’s win and is now 2-0 as an NFL starter, but he’s still a career 57-percent passer with six picks and three fumbles in eight career games.
In other words, the bar was already pretty low at a position the Panthers have been overeager to solve in recent years, so even if Newton — now seemingly more rested and healthy than he’s been in a long time — is just passable as a thrower, he’ll probably represent a slight upgrade.
Couple all that with the fact Carolina’s defense is legit — No. 1 against the pass, No. 2 overall, No. 3 in sacks — and the fact the NFC wild-card race is absolutely wide open, and there’s no doubt the Panthers should be penciled into the postseason picture.
Newton may not be the MVP candidate he once was, but with his unparalleled size and reignited energy, he makes for an awfully good fit for a team looking to get hot in the colder months and maybe, just maybe, give the storybook return to Charlotte a magical ending.
