4 Ways Cam Newton Made the Carolina Panthers Relevant Again

Cam Newton, No. 1 pick of the 2011 draft, is living up to the hype and has effectively breathed new life into the Carolina Panthers.

1.) Cam Is Statistically One of the Top Quarterbacks in the League

2,103 passing yards. eight passing touchdowns. seven rushing touchdowns. 252 attempts. 82.8 passer rating. seven games played.

These are the stats of a rookie quarterback coming off of a shortened offseason to a team that finished 2-14 the previous year. Cam Newton has already surpassed last year’s starting quarterback Jimmy Clausen who ended the year with only three passing touchdowns, 1,558 passing yards, and not a single rushing touchdown.

Newton ranks 4th in the league in passing yards: Ahead of Ben Roethlisberger and only behind such names as Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, and Tom Brady. Although Cam has only thrown for eight touchdowns, his seven rushing touchdowns leave him only one behind Tom Brady in total touchdowns.

2.) Cam Keeps the Panthers Alive in Games

Even though the Panthers are 2-5 so far this season, they have improved offensively in every category since Cam has taken the reigns.

The Panthers’ five losses were only determined by a combined 36 points. That’s only 7.2 points a game on average. Four of these losses were at the hands of the Packers, Bears, Falcons, and Saints: Arguably four of the best teams in the league.

Cam remains consistent deep into games and gives the Panthers hope with their new and vastly improved offense.

3.) Cam Revived the Career of Steve Smith

Steve Smith is a career Panther and one of the faces of their franchise: Probably THE face before Cam came along.

Following a season in which Smith only recorded 554 receiving yards and two touchdowns in 14 games, he currently has 818 receiving yards and three touchdowns in just seven games.

This has already made Steve Smith a top receiver, first in the league in receiving yards, and he has regained the form that football fans have come to love.

4.) Cam Makes the Panthers Fun to Watch

It is always exciting to watch close, high-scoring games between offensively dominant teams. The Panthers have become one of those teams.

Cam isn’t afraid to use his physicality to make plays. The Panthers have given him the freedom, with 252 passing attempts, to showcase his abilities as a playmaker. When he isn’t throwing to Steve Smith, Cam doesn’t hesitate to run for those extra yards and touchdowns.

Cam’s unpredictability keeps viewers on the edge of their seats. Now when NFL fans see the Panthers on their TV schedule they highlight that game as one to watch.