Panthers vs. Patriots: Cam Newton and Defense Deserve Credit for Win

The scoreboard read 24-20 Carolina at the end of last night's Monday Night Football game between New England Patriots and the Carolina Panthers, however it's the "controversial" no-call at the end of the game that's getting all of the attention.

Maybe the no-call is talked about more than the win, or maybe the NFL—let alone the rest of the world—is tired of Tom Brady and the Patriots.  Or maybe nobody wants to give Cam Newton his credit for actually developing into a solid quarterback who can lead a team and not just be on one.

Let's make this clear, the Pats weren't "robbed" of this game by the referees. The Panthers just beat them for their sixth straight win, plain and simple. For those not keeping track, Carolina has won six in a row beating the San Francisco 49ers and Patriots in back-to-back weeks.

The refs did not decide the game at the end, the catalyst was Newton who completed 19 of 28 passes on the day for 209 yards and three touchdowns. The third score was the most crucial.  

Newton shined brightest in the latter stages of the game Monday. He threw to Ted Ginn Jr. on a 10-yard curl route, Ginn caught it, turned outside and dove in for the go-ahead score with 59 seconds left.

Newton also had 62 yards rushing on seven carries, including a highlight-reel scramble where he made several Patriots' defenders miss.

However, Newton's scramble and a three-touchdown night did little to steer focus away from the fact that New England lost. Brady isn't as automatic as he once was in the two-minute drill, and this Patriots team isn't what it used to be.

But it's Newton and this Carolina team that people should really be talking about.  

They've scored 30 or more points in five of their seven wins on the season and have held opponents to less than 15 points in the six of the seven wins prior to the victory over the Patriots.  The defense is ranked third in the NFL in yards allowed per game (294.0), allowing just over 200 yards (209.5) per game through the air and well under 100 yards a game (84.5) on the ground.

After the game Monday, Newton became the first quarterback in NFL history with 10,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards in his first three years.

So instead of everyone, making a big deal of the pass interference call, how about giving Carolina some well-deserved credit. These cats have earned it.