If you told me this past offseason that Newton and the Panthers would end up as the NFC representatives for Super Bowl 50 -- especially after the team had lost their best wideout, Kelvin Benjamin, for the season -- I would've laughed and made a very costly bet against you.

But after an NFL MVP-worthy performance this season in which Jim Sannes found last week, his track record of success against top defenses already this season is encouraging for the Panthers chances in this contest.

So if Newton can keep the form he's shown all season, he has a very good chance to lead his team to their 18th win this season and the franchise's first ever Super Bowl title.