Can Cam Newton Carry Carolina Through the Panthers' Most Tumultuous Era?

Earlier this season, Cam Newton looked like a physically beaten man. Idiots like me thought the brutality of football was draining his superpowers.

Then, something happened. It's something that often happens with Newton. Underestimated by many (including people in football who also believed Newton was losing a step), he's taken the Panthers and put them on his back. Then again, this is what he often does.

It wasn't a particularly great performance by Newton on Sunday against the Buccaneers. A kickoff return was the main ignition source. But Newton scooping a bobbled snap off the turf, then running it in the for the score with 35 seconds left, was peak Newton. The Panthers won, 22-19, and are in the playoffs.

Earlier this season, owner Jerry Richardson looked like the same man he's always been. He was going to die as owner of the team. Then came the Sports Illustrated article with allegations that preceded Richardson's putting the Panthers up for sale and rocked the sports world.

On Sunday, Richardson sat in the same spot in the end-zone suite he has for some time. Since the Panthers play at the Falcons next week and will likely play postseason games on the road, we may never see Richardson as Panthers owner again.

Mike McCarn/Associated Press

Richardson's money is what once provided the team's stability. Now, as the Panthers go through the most tumultuous time in their young history, it's Newton who will be the rock.

Coach Ron Rivera has also done a splendid job, but Newton is the key. He's always the key.

There are a number of dangerous teams in the playoffs, but if I had to pick one in the NFC that was the scariest, it might be Carolina. And it's because of Newton.

"He’s hitting his stride right now," Rivera said on Wednesday, per David Newton of ESPN.com. "Having gone through what he did during OTAs and minicamps coming out of the (rotator cuff) surgery, trying to get back into it during training and not really having the training camp that we as a football team could grow and develop as, I think he’s playing as well as he has in the past, if not better."

We're seeing a rejuvenated Newton—both physically and mentally. He's overcoming the rough start to the year, and his dumb remarks about a female journalist, and leading a flawed but talented Panthers team.

Newton's stabilizing didn't necessarily show against the Buccaneers, but it's showing overall. The Panthers are in the playoffs for the fourth time in five years. This season, and in this game, we see a Panthers offense that still lacks elite weapons.

Christian McCaffrey is talented, and the receivers are solid, but Newton still isn't playing with an Antonio Brown or Julio Jones.

Still, over the past seven games, Newton has thrown 11 touchdown passes to two interceptions. He has 68 carries for 440 yards and three touchdowns. Against the Buccaneers, he had 160 yards on 16-of-25 passing and 52 yards on 14 carries with one touchdown.

During this same seven-game stretch, Tom Brady has 14 touchdowns and six interceptions. Brady threw a pick-six against the Bills on Sunday.

Bob Leverone/Associated Press

The Panthers are also slipping almost unnoticed across the league. They are 11-4 and have won six of their past seven games.

Newton won't win the MVP, but he should get serious consideration.

But mostly, we're going to see Newton carry the offense in ways he never has before. Few franchises have faced a sale while the team is in the playoff hunt. No NFL franchise has even been sold because its owner is an accused harasser and racist.

The Panthers will be called on to unify, and block out the externals, unlike few playoff teams ever have.

All of the players will be asked about Richardson by media jackals like me as the regular season ends and the playoffs begin, but Newton is under a special scrutiny because he's an African-American quarterback playing for a man accused of using a racial slur.

This might not be the first time something like that has happened, but it's certainly the most high-profile.

This week, Newton was asked about Richardson, and he gave an apt analogy.

"I heard an analogy in one of our meetings, the most calmest part of tornadoes is right in the middle of it," Newton said this week. "Certain times this year we've had our problems with the media. With great leadership, we've had so much to lean on. Do we have a young team? Absolutely. Do we have a lot of new guys in new roles? Absolutely. We're trying to have a great attitude that's contagious."

It's going to be on Newton. Most of the time, it is. But this will be different. This will be one of the more unique moments any team has ever faced.

And I think Newton is ready for it.

Mike Freeman covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter: @mikefreemanNFL.