For the Carolina Panthers to get back on track in their clash with the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, they need a unified team performance. The last game day has shown that a strong Cam Newton alone is not enough.

Munich/Charlotte – For the fans of the Carolina Panthers, the past game day ended with mixed feelings.

On the one hand, there was the emotional comeback of quarterback Cam Newton, who led the team onto the field as a starter for the first time since his return. Super Cam” shone as an experienced playmaker and impressively proved what he is still capable of.

On the other hand, the Washington Football Team suffered a bitter and avoidable defeat. The play-off euphoria in North Carolina has been curbed again for the time being. In order for the fans to have reason to cheer at the end of the season, they need a much-needed win against the Miami Dolphins – but a “Super Cam” alone is not enough.

Dream comeback not enough

In addition to 189 passing yards and two touchdowns, Newton also put up strong numbers in the running game against the football with 46 rushing yards and a touchdown. In doing so, he showed that head coach Matt Rhule was right to name him the starter.

“What he did on Sunday was exceptional,” Rhule said at a press conference on Wednesday. “He led us to 21 points despite only knowing the offense for three or four days. That’s second to none,” the head coach continued to enthuse.

In fact, Newton looked as confident as if he had been an integral part of the offence for the entire season. After scoring two touchdowns in his first game as a gadget player, he finally breathed new life back into the offence against Washington.

But it’s not just his performances on the field that are crucial to a successful Panthers season. As the new and old leader in the dressing room, he is now expected to drive the other parts of the team to peak performance.

Work ethic impresses coaches

“I wish everyone could see how hard he works. When I wanted to go home at 8pm on Monday, he was still in the gym, like all day,” Rhule continued. Yet Newton exemplifies a banal sportsman’s wisdom: If you want to succeed, you have to go beyond your limits.

According to Rhule, it’s not just about emotional speeches, but getting the maximum out of his teammates: “He’s already done a lot of that for us. He wants to win so badly, he is the leader in the team,” said the coach.

The playoff picture in the NFC is as tight as it has been in a long time this season. With five wins and six losses, the Panthers are in the thick of the fight for the coveted postseason spots, but everything is still possible, both up and down.

In order to get those all-important wins, Coach Rhule will have to ensure stability on both sides of the field. Against the football team, the actually strong defence revealed glaring gaps. At least before the clash against the Dolphins, the players seem to have listened to Newton’s words.

“Are all grown men “

“If we want to win, we have to force each other into accountability. We have to put our friendships aside and treat each other like grown men,” said linebacker Haason Reddick in regards to the tasks at hand.

Defensive end Brian Burns echoed a similar sentiment: “We’ve got to drop the sensitivity and call a spade a spade. We come here to do our job and that means winning,” the veteran said.

The Panthers defence has actually shown the potential to be one of the best defences in the NFL already this season. With just 3176 yards allowed, Reddick and Co. are second in the league in that category – so the basics are there, now they need the right motivation.

“Our defence is working, we just have to do our jobs,” Reddick concluded. So from now on, Carolina will rely on constructive criticism as the key to success – also thanks to Cam Newton.

Dolphins banger to show the way

A win against the equally inconsistent Dolphins would be extremely important in this regard. Miami have won their last three games and are on an upward trend. If they manage a win on Sunday, the Dolphins could again join the playoff race in the final metres.

The Panthers are obviously also mentally prepared for the important game. Because it seems Newton has already created a new mindset for the Panthers after just a few days on the training ground. Instead of searching for an identity, the focus is now undoubtedly on the future. The goal at the end of the season can only be play-off participation.

Also Newton noted after the defeat, despite his strong individual performance, “Me and the whole team have to get better”. With that, he took both himself and the entire team to task ahead of Sunday’s game.

Because thanks to Newton, the Carolina Panthers have a job to do again: win games.