Cam Newton's Success Will Eventually Turn Panthers into Contender

As Carolina Panthers rookie quarterback Cam Newton is enjoying one of the best first years in NFL history, his team is struggling, sitting at the bottom of the NFC South with a 2-6 overall record.

With a team that isn't used to winning over the past few years, the Panthers will take some time to get accustomed to having such a quality player on the team.

Newton has the ability to lead the team to greatness and their first playoff appearance since 2008.

As he continues on his record-breaking season, his will to win will begin to rub off on his teammates, and as the year goes on, I believe we will see the Panthers start to get it, and close out the year on a strong note, although it won't translate into a playoff berth.

Expect the Panthers to start their rise to the top of the NFC next season as an entire offseason, and adding a few key pieces to the team, will set Newton and the Panthers up for a successful 2012 season.

Look for a similar ascent to the one the Indianapolis Colts enjoyed back when they first drafted Peyton Manning.

Manning had an incredible year, but the team had one of the worst records in football, but then in the years to come the Colts were hard to stop and won a Super Bowl along the way.

With Newton at the helm, the Panthers will return to the caliber of team they had back in 2004 when they made their first and only Super Bowl appearance in a loss against the New England Patriots.