Super Bowl loss shouldn't overshadow Cam Newton's historic season

Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers came up excruciatingly short in their efforts to cap off the season with the organization's first Super Bowl title.

The Denver Broncos were simply the better team Sunday night, unleashing their top-ranked defense to shut down the NFL's most valuable player.

While Newton will take his share of criticism, with a curious decision to shy away from a loose ball doing little to help matters in that regard, using the loss to downplay his rise to stardom would be nothing if not unfair.

A dominant defense was, of course, a key reason in Carolina finding itself competing on football's biggest stage. The unit finished the year ranked sixth in yards allowed, sixth in points, and first in total takeaways.

But that season-long performance would have been all for naught absent Newton's arrival as arguably the NFL's most unstoppable player on the other side of the ball.

The statistical production alone puts the 26-year-old in unprecedented territory. Newton's 3,827 yards and 35 touchdowns through the air, accompanied by another 636 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground, demonstrated his dominance in all facets of the offensive game.

His emergence becomes all the more significant when considering how he elevated the play of those around him - a critical factor for any elite quarterback.

The underwhelming supporting cast that got exposed in Super Bowl 50 was the very same group Newton had by his side in leading the NFL's top-ranked scoring attack throughout the regular season.

Weaknesses at the offensive line and at wide receiver, in particular, were hidden throughout the 18 games prior by Newton's ability to both avoid pressure in the pocket and fit throws into incredibly small windows downfield.

The only difference this week was that a supremely talented defense was able to take advantage of both groups in such a way that there was little Newton could do when forced to improvise and make plays on his own.

Von Miller, DeMarcus Ware, and co. were collapsing the pocket from both sides more often than not. When Newton did get time to throw, a smothering group of cornerbacks effectively neutralized Carolina's crop of journeyman receivers.

Heading into the offseason, the Panthers, having both salary-cap space and draft selections at their disposal, will have every opportunity to make some considerable upgrades in those two problem areas.

Successfully doing so, in tandem with the presumed return of a healthy Kelvin Benjamin, could have Newton poised for an even more dominant showing next season.

Denver may have come out on top this year, thus sending their future Hall of Fame quarterback riding off into the sunset, but it's almost certainly the Panthers who are better positioned for long-term success.

Continuing on his current path should give Newton a number of opportunities to lead his team to a Lombardi Trophy, and it would be no surprise to see him right back on the big stage this time next year.

The fact that Newton is only now entering his prime should be a frightening thought for the rest of the NFL.