You have to go all the way back to 2004 to find the last time that the Carolina Panthers (+350) went to the Super Bowl, and they go there on the strength of a 5-0 start to the season. They went a good deal better this year, winning their first 14 games of the season before finally losing to the Atlanta Falcons. That one loss was the only real down point in a season that saw the Panthers emerge as a legitimate favorite to represent the NFC in Super Bowl 50.
The Panthers Are Great, Cam Newton Is Even Better
So how did a team who have underwhelmed in recent years suddenly become so good? There are a number of factors at play here, but it all begins with the play of Cam Newton. The big QB has always been good on his feet, but his passing game has left a lot to be desired at times. That all changed this year, as Newton matured into a pass first QB, whilst also limiting the mistakes that have hampered his career development to this point. There has always been an aura of arrogance around him, but people now view his histrionics as confidence, as he is now backing up his actions with some stellar play. Newton looks like a shoe-in for the league MVP, but I can almost guarantee that he will share that award with his supporting cast. Greg Olsen is an absolute beast at TE, and has once again put up number that most wide receivers would envy. Teams that make the mistake of believing that he is the only real offensive threat on this team outside of Newton will soon find out otherwise if they try to gang up on him. This may not be a big-name type of offense, but they are incredibly effective. The performance of Jonathon Stewart at running back, as well as the contributions from everyone else, helped the Panthers average 31.9 PPG this season, which was #1 in the league.
