If you watched the AFC Championship, you undoubtedly saw Tom Brady being hit relentlessly by the Denver Broncos pass rush: 23 times on 60 dropbacks to be exact, which was, by far, the most Brady had been hit in a game this season.

Now, Cam Newton is a much different player than Brady. Whereas Brady is generally a statue in the pocket, Newton is more like an elusive freight train.

That said, the Denver front seven matches up beautifully with the Carolina offensive line. DeMarcus Ware and Von Miller will pose immediate problems for offensive tackles Michael Oher and Mike Remmers.

Although Carolina is one of the run heaviest teams in the league (their 1.02 pass to run ratio was second, behind only Buffalo), they will dial up their share of pass plays. With tight end Greg Olsen unlikely to remain in as a blocker, Newton could quickly find himself under immense pressure, unlike anything else he has faced this season.

Specifically, the Panthers only faced two top-10 pass rushing teams this season: Houston in Week 2 and Green Bay in Week 9. Newton fared well in both games, but he recorded completion percentages of only 48.6 and 50, respectively.

Last week, the Broncos held Brady to a 48.2 percent completion rate, the lowest of his playoff career.

Denver’s pass rush will be Carolina’s toughest test of the season.