Cam Newton Report Card: How Did Panthers Rookie Look vs. Jaguars?

Cam Newton has earned his first career NFL victory.  He led the Panthers to a victory over Blaine Gabbert and the Jacksonville Jaguars.  Newton was able to overcome some extreme weather that definitely impacted his passing.

This performance wasn't as eye popping as his back-to-back 400-yard games.  However, he played efficient football.  Newton avoided turnovers, which was important due to the the weather conditions.  Sometimes, a quarterback needs to avoid loosing the game rather than win it.  Today, Newton protected the ball and allowed his teammates to help.

Newton has developed a good relationship with both of his tight ends.  Greg Olson and Jeremy Shockey accounted for 10 of Newton's 18 completions.  The Panthers do not have many great receiving options, so utilizing the tight ends is a must.

This ability to use the players at his disposal shows great maturity.  Some quarterbacks have a hard time adjusting to the game plan.  They have a tendency to force the football to specific players.  However, Newton has done a good job orchestrating the game plan.

Newton was also the team's second leading rusher, with 7 carries and 27 yards.  The biggest thing to focus on is the amount of carries.  This shows that Newton is committed to staying in the pocket and making plays down the field.  For Newton to be successful, he needs to find the right balance between running the ball and passing.

For a rookie quarterback only making his third start, Newton has shown great poise and ability.  The Carolina Panthers have done a good job putting Newton in successful situations.  They also should be commended for allowing Newton to throw the football.  It appears he has a good grasp on the playbook and they allow him to utilize it.

Jon Dove is a featured columnist at Bleacher Report, covering the NFL and NFL draft. Check him out on Twitter @Jon_Dove42.