Cam Newton: How Far Can Rookie QB Take Carolina Panthers?

Cam Newton walked off the field at University of Phoenix Stadium after throwing for 422 yards and two scores in his first NFL start. He'd broken records and exceeded expectations, and he may have even convinced a few angry writers that his smile is actually genuine. But none of that really mattered. 

The Panthers still lost to the Arizona Cardinals.

Newton was much more poised in the pocket than anyone outside of the Carolina Panthers organization could have predicted. He kept his eyes downfield and used his legs to move the pocket more often than he used them to run out of it. He displayed a quick release and a comfortable understanding of the coverages he was facing, and he made smart decisions usually reserved for second- or-third-year players.

And that's great. Kudos to Newton. He played incredibly well, not just for a first-time rookie starter, but for anyone. He's an early (very early) favorite to win Offensive Rookie of the Year, and, if Week 1 was any indication, he'll likely pile up accolades throughout his career.

But it won't matter. Not if Carolina doesn't start to win again.

That's how we measure quarterbacks. When Tom Brady went down, the Patriots still finished with a winning record. They still blew out bad teams and knocked off good teams and looked like a well-oiled machine more often than not. Without Peyton Manning, the Colts fell apart, almost completely.

Manning is clearly more important to his team's success, and could be called a better individual player because of it, but he plays second fiddle to Brady in most eyes because of wins. Because Tom Brady has three Super Bowl titles, and Manning has only one.

Now, Newton is light years from being measured to Brady or Manning in any category, and it's insanely early in his career to accurately gauge his long-term effects on the franchise, but if he wants to start approaching the heights he was drafted to reach, he'll need to earn a win first.

When 422 yards aren't enough to beat a team like the Cardinals, the answer to the question of how far Newton can take the Panthers becomes a question of who the Panthers add around him. Even a talent like Newton can't win games alone, though he can win quite a few surrounded with the right mix of talent.