Are the Carolina Panthers better without Cam Newton?

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Coming into week three, the Carolina Panthers were 0-2 with Cam Newton behind center. After an injury to Newtons’ shoulder, the Panthers sit at 3-2 second in the NFC South with Kyle Allen at quarterback.

Carolina, now undefeated with Allen has led to questions about the return of ‘Superman Cam’.

Since his injury last season, Newton has not looked good at all. Realistically he hasn’t looked good since week 11 of last season where he threw for 357 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception in a loss to the Lions. Since then, his touchdown: interception ratio is 4:8 which was good enough for an 0-6 record. With Allen taking snaps, the teams been completely different.

Dating back to last season, when Allen is starting the Panthers are 4-0. Unbeaten. Allen's’ play has shocked a lot of people but, not himself. In an interview, he said “As an undrafted quarterback in this league you gotta keep betting on yourself because no one else is going too, you know what I mean? Until you keep betting on yourself, until you keep proving yourself, and- it's a week to week thing, you gotta show up every single day cause- you're not gonna get as many opportunities as everybody else.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KdZb8qxwek

Allen mentioned earlier in that interview that he had an option to stay at college, but he decided to leap into the NFL, knowing that if he got a chance, he’d prevail. That’s confidence.

In all fairness, Allen has all the reason to believe in himself with the stats he’s putting up. Completing 66.7% of his passes this year, along with five touchdowns, 674 yards, and hasn’t been picked off yet. It’s an incredible start... let alone for an undrafted quarterback.

Allen isn’t the only reason Carolina is succeeding, it’s large part due to the play of Christian McCaffery. He leads the league in rushing yards, and in total yards gained. He also is second in total touchdowns for a position player. McCaffery has already made himself an early MVP candidate.

At the rate that this team is running, despite the likeness for Newton from the owners, I’d like to think that they’d prefer to win rather than be loyal to him. Newton’s big body quarterback type of play has deteriorated his body and has become; in all honesty, a liability. He wants to command so much of the football game rather than letting McCaffery loose.

If Allen leads the Panthers to the playoffs, they probably won’t look back to the past and continue with the future, Kyle Allen. I believe the former Houston Shasta will prove that they can move on from Newton and be a force in this league alongside McCaffery.

- Alex Fortuna