Quarterback Cam Newton has long been the Carolina Panthers' best and most dazzling offensive player, as well as the only NFL Most Valuable Player the team has ever had.
But when Newton has gotten in the NFL playoffs, here's the brutal truth: Over six postseason games, you can describe his overall play in one word _ mediocre.
And mediocrity is not an option Sunday. Newton will have to be great for Carolina to upset New Orleans Sunday afternoon at 4:40 p.m. in the NFL's wild-card playoff round.
Newton's playoff record is 3-3 entering the Saints game. His quarterback rating is 83.9 _ slightly worse than his career regular-season rating of 85.3. He has thrown eight touchdown passes in the playoffs but also has thrown seven interceptions.
The quarterback is also coming off one of the worst games of his seven-year NFL career. Newton posted a career-low passer rating in a three-interception game in Carolina's 22-10 loss to Atlanta Sunday. Coach Ron Rivera said Monday he felt confident Newton would play well against New Orleans because the quarterback normally "bounces back after a tough outing."
That has traditionally been true, but it's also true that Sunday in the Superdome will rank as one of the most difficult playoff venues of Newton's playoff experience. Only one of Newton's previous six playoff games has been a true road game. He lost that one, at Seattle three years ago. Of his other five playoff games, four have been at home and Super Bowl 50 was held at the neutral site of Santa Clara, Calif.
