Cam Newton Puts Cap on MVP Case, Panthers Remain NFC's Top Dog

The Carolina Panthers' home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs was almost certainly not the only feat secured for fans of the Blue and Silver to celebrate about following their 38-10 demolition of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sunday.

As that victory brought the Panthers to 15-1 and guaranteed them the No. 1 seed in the NFC, another stellar game by quarterback Cam Newton wrapped up a crown of an individual manner for his own—the NFL MVP trophy for the 2015 season.

If there was any sliver of doubt as to Newton's status as the unquestioned MVP before Week 17, he put those questions out of reach with a 21-of-26 performance for 303 total yards and four total touchdowns. A 24-point second quarter proved enough for Newton and Co. to cruise to a lopsided win and enter the postseason on the same high note the Panthers have been on all season long.

Between his passing efficiency and rushing prowess, we've never seen a player under center who can make the impact Newton can. With two more scores on the ground Sunday, he became the first player in NFL history to accomplish the feat described by Randall Liu of the NFL:

Injuries to some key offensive players threatened to give the Panthers issues in their regular-season finale, but those who truly believed that would slow them down haven't seen much of this season. Carolina has been doing more with less throughout 2015, and that didn't change Sunday.

Top rusher Jonathan Stewart missed Sunday's game, along with top receiver Ted Ginn Jr., but Newton wasn't slowed down one bit. Just like he did with the loss of Kelvin Benjamin in the preseason, Newton didn't miss a beat, completing passes to eight different players.

Cause for even more optimism is the emergence of rookie vertical threat Devin Funchess, who led the team with eight targets and seven receptions for 120 yards and a touchdown Sunday. His ability to go deep is what Carolina has been missing most from Benjamin this season.

While nothing that happened outside of Carolina could have prevented Newton from wrapping up the MVP, those contending with him fell flat on Week 17 to pave the way. MVP contenders Carson Palmer and Tom Brady both had tough days in defeats Sunday, as Langston Wertz Jr. of the Charlotte Observer noted:

Of course, wrapping up the MVP award wasn't what was fueling Newton and his team entering Week 17. Despite rolling to a 14-1 record, they needed a win or an Arizona Cardinals loss to secure the top seed in the conference.

They could have simply checked the scoreboard—the Seattle Seahawks blowing out Arizona—and seen their work was finished, but the Panthers did what they've done all season and kept pounding. Head coach Ron Rivera chose not to have that score shown in Bank of America Stadium, as the Panthers' Twitter account noted:

There could be so much to come for a team that has already embarked on a season considered among the franchise's best all-time, finishing as de facto Super Bowl favorites with a likely MVP winner at the helm. But even with possibilities boundless on the horizon, Panthers fans should be able to take a step back and appreciate this 2015 regular season.

Even in the last couple of seasons, folks have questioned Newton's ability to lead an offense to consistent dominance. You can't question that after 2015, with him leading the Panthers a few points shy of an undefeated regular season.

The Panthers' chances of emerging into the elite of the NFC was always doubted, and they'll have to prove their mettle against some peaking NFC teams in the second half of January. But getting there in the fashion that it did, Carolina has to be considered as nothing less than the top dog.

And considering where the Panthers appeared to be starting this season, nobody associated with the franchise can be anything less than elated at where their 2015 season is taking them.