Cam Newton made his return to the Carolina Panthers just a few days ago and is already making his impact felt. Head coach Matt Rhule kept P.J. Walker in as the starter, but did mention throughout the week that Newton could see some playing time.
Forget about just getting playing time. Newton got in and found himself in the end zone minutes into Sunday's game against the Arizona Cardinals. He took a run to the right, scored, and sent a message to the entire NFL.
He's back and fans in Arizona are finding that out the hard way.
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Cam Newton lets everyone know he is back
Newton looked like his old self early on against the Cardinals. Not only did he get the rushing score, but he added a passing touchdown later in the first quarter.
That gave Newton two touchdowns in the first half of the first quarter. That's not too bad for a guy who was sitting at home to start the week.
Newton's grasp of the playbook is surely limited this week. However, Rhule is comfortable putting him near the goal line and the results are great for the Panthers.
Seeing Newton running the Panthers offense represents a total turnaround for a unit that has been guided by Sam Darnold all season. They can get much more creative with the play-calling and the fact Christian McCaffrey is back as well means the normal flow of the offense can return.
Newton is fired up and so are Panthers fans. The 4-5 team has a great shot to steal a win over the 8-1 Cardinals, who are once again without the injured Kyler Murray. Getting to 5-5 and getting Newton on the field at the same time would be huge for Rhule's bunch.
Fans will be eager to see how many times Newton finds himself in the end zone. If he is a goalline specialist he could have a stat line with minimal yards, but plenty of touchdowns.
Newton is back and the NFL has been put on notice. If he can show up and get the Panthers to the playoffs, his second act could be just as thrilling as his first.
Also Read: What is Cam Newton's Contract Breakdown?
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