Will the Carolina Panthers Complete an Undefeated Season?

It’s time to have a serious talk about the Carolina Panthers. Some of you started this conversation weeks ago, quietly muttering about perfection and an undefeated season. The more patient among us know to wait until mid-December before entertaining thoughts of historic flawlessness.

But here we are, deep into the festive season with holiday-themed beard ornaments jingling around, and the Panthers are still perfect. Their latest victory was more than just another tally casually added to the win column. Instead it was an absolute pelting, with Carolina blanking the Atlanta Falcons 38-0.

Garbage time lasted for a full quarter in a severely lopsided win. A little beyond that even, as we were treated to a Derek Anderson sighting late in the third quarter. The Panthers' backup quarterback replaced Cam Newton, who sat in his protective bench bubble after thoroughly torching the Falcons’ secondary.

"I believe right now it's our moment as Panthers," Newton told the Associated Press. "We try to seize it as much as possible."

Newton connected with wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. for touchdown passes that sailed 74 and 46 yards. He completed 71.4 percent of his pass attempts and finished the afternoon with 265 yards and three touchdowns.

Much of that production came during a sizzling first quarter.

A display of both offensive and defensive dominance has become nearly routine for the Panthers, which is why after Sunday’s win the perfection chatter should go from whispers to table pounding.

Can they realistically end their season with an unblemished record, becoming the first team to accomplish that since the 2007 New England Patriots? Before looking at the road ahead, it’s important to take a moment and absorb just how much Carolina is breathing hot fire right now.

The Panthers have scored an average 36.6 points per game over the past five weeks, and they've allowed an average of 15.6 points. The latter per-game number there even includes a one-week defensive blip against the New Orleans Saints during that stretch when the Panthers gave up 38 points.

If you need more statistical context for just how much the Panthers are rolling, then we can dive a little deeper into Newton’s heroics. He’s scored a combined 16 passing and rushing touchdowns since Week 10, all while throwing just one interception on 148 attempts.

As ESPN Stats and Information observed, he’s shattered previous career highs:

Oh, and the degree of difficulty hasn’t exactly been low for Newton. Prior to Week 14 his 47.3 completion percentage on balls traveling 20-plus yards was tied for seventh among all quarterbacks who accounted for at least half of their team’s pass attempts, per Pro Football Focus.

Sunday his precision resulted in this heat-seeking missile.

So an undefeated team is led by an MVP-candidate quarterback, and he’s supported by a defense that’s allowed 20-plus points only six times after 13 games. What could go wrong? Well, let’s start with New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., who’s brought pain and anguish to most of the secondaries he’s faced.

Panthers cornerback Josh Norman is having a Pro Bowl season himself with four interceptions and a tiny passer rating in coverage of only 39.9 heading into Week 14, per PFF. But a Week 15 matchup against Beckham will be his toughest challenge. Beckham has recorded five straight games with 100-plus yards. Over that period he's averaged 17.5 yards per reception.

The task of slowing Beckham will come on the road, as the Panthers play two of their final three games away from Bank of America Stadium. The other two games include another one against the woeful Falcons—in Week 16, and this time at the Georgia Dome—before a season finale at home against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

This means the other cause for concern lies in the possibility that two of the Panthers’ remaining opponents could still be hungry as they chase playoff spots. However, both that fear and any cold sweats over a Beckham explosion begin to fade when we look at the pass defenses Newton will be throwing against.

Heading into Week 14 the Giants and Bucs fielded secondaries that ranked in the bottom half of the league.

Team	Rank	Yards allowed/game
Giants	32nd	314.5
Falcons	11th	239.9
Buccaneers	16th	242.5

Atlanta is the outlier, but only on that table. Newton just roasted the Falcons, and his offense piled up 424 yards, even with the first-team unit pulled for the final quarter.

The Panthers’ quest for perfection then rests primarily with two questions: Can Norman win his battle against Beckham, or at least keep the all-galaxy receiver to modest totals? And can a white-hot offense maintain that level of play against inferior defenses?

Then a third question is always looming: Can they stay healthy?

The Panthers’ 13th win this season came at a cost. During his postgame press conference head coach Ron Rivera confirmed cornerback Bene Benwikere has played his last snap of 2015, though thankfully tight end Greg Olsen dodged serious injury.

Carolina has already clinched a playoff spot, its division and a first-round bye, though the march toward home-field advantage in the NFC carries on. Those accomplishments felt like far-off dreams during training camp when wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin was lost for the year.

Now regular-season perfection is within reach, too, and a championship beyond that.