Panthers vs. Bears: 5 Reasons Chicago Will Struggle vs. Cam Newton

I hate to be an alarmist, but if the Bears don't beat the Panthers on Sunday at Soldier Field, their hopes for the postseason are all but over.

OK, now that I have your attention, I know what you're probably thinking; this should be a relatively easy game, facing a 1-2 team with a rookie starting QB.

Oh, but wait, that rookie QB is none other than Cam Newton, and he has been impressive thus far.

Remember too, that the Bears are also 1-2, so they certainly shouldn't be overlooking Carolina. Plus, we all know how badly Ron Rivera would love to beat his former employer and head coach.

That goes for Greg Olsen as well.

Naturally, the attention is on the perceived rift between Rivera and Lovie Smith, but I say forget all that and focus on the Panthers QB.

While I predict a win for the Bears, they will struggle against the Carolina QB.

Here's why.

Newton Is the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Month

Yep, Newton has done well, especially considering that he's a rookie QB coming into the pros for the first time. In short, he has surpassed expectations by a wide margin.

Only Sam Bradford and Tim Couch have ever won this award after being drafted No. 1 overall.

Look at what he has accomplished so far.

Newton has thrown for 1,012 yards, the most ever by a player in his first three NFL games. He has also connected for four touchdowns and has used his legs for two more. 

He threw for 422 yards in his debut, also the most ever by a rookie. He followed that performance with an equally-impressive 432 yards in week two.

Last week, his numbers fell but he played in a driving rainstorm.

The man has been nothing short of sensational considering he's just a rookie.

The Bears Secondary Has Been Ripe for the Picking

After facing mainly pass-first offenses against the likes of Matt Ryan, Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers, the Bears beleaguered secondary won't get a rest on Sunday against the Panthers and Cam Newton.

Primarily a running team last year, Carolina and Newton have averaged 39 pass attempts over the first-three games of the season.

Newton's weapons include a rejuvenated Steve Smith (16 receptions, two TD) as the primary receiver and tight ends Greg Olsen (more on him later) and Jeremy Shockey had 10 receptions between them last week.

Running back Jonathan Stewart has also become an asset for Newton. He had eight catches for 100 yards two weeks ago against Green Bay.

Meanwhile, getting Chris Harris back and healthy will be a plus for the Bears, assuming that is the case. With Harris and Major Wright out, starting safeties Brandon Meriweather and Craig Steltz struggled last week against the Packers.

The Bears have allowed an average of 277.3 passing yards per game and Newton will probably be able to move the ball, so the key will be to get turnovers. Newton has thrown four interceptions.

Newton Is Agile and Mobile in the Pocket

Newton may not have the speed of Michael Vick, but he's similar in that both have good size, strong arms and can run.

So far, Newton has rushed 25 times for 98 yards. and while a 3.9 yard average won't knock anybody's socks off, he has been limited by a balky ankle.

Plus, part of being agile has little to do with actually taking off and running the football.

There is something to be said for being mobile in the pocket; in other words, able to anticipate the rush, and move your feet enough to escape the hit and still throw an accurate ball.

This may be important for Carolina as their running game hasn't really gotten untracked yet this year. DeAngelo Williams signed for a pile of money, yet so far he's been a pile of something else.

Let's hope it stays that way.

Newton Is Not Easily Rattled or Intimidated

Newton is huge; trying to tackle or rattle him is like chasing a tiger. You don't chase the tiger, the tiger chases you, and that's true of this guy—he's a beast.

A physically imposing specimen at 6'5" and 250 pounds, when he runs, the defense has to treat him like a tight end or a big, physical back.

Bears coach Lovie Smith recently said that Newton reminds him of Julius Peppers.

Greg Olsen Is Motivated to Stick It to the Bears

Olsen, the former first round draft pick of the Bears, is relishing the opportunity to come back to Chicago and show his ex-team that they made a mistake in trading him.

"To say this game doesn't light your fire a little more with everything that happened would be a lie," Olsen told the Chicago Tribune.

And the Bears have been struggling against tight ends this season.

Jermichael Finley scored three touchdowns Sunday for the Packers. Through three games, teams  are averaging six catches and 78 yards per game against the Bears from the tight ends.

Olsen knows that the way the cover-2 is played, there will be soft spots in the middle that he can take advantage of.

Newton threw to Olsen for the winning touchdown last week for the Panthers and then they also hooked up for the two-point conversion. He lined up in the backfield on the TD play.

On the season, Olsen has caught 12 balls for 169 yards and that one TD. But it may be his desire to stick it to Chicago that makes him such a threat for this Sunday.