The Associated Press
Steve Reed
CHARLOTTE, N.C.–Cam Newton was tired of the Carolina Panthers’ defence getting all of the glory.
Newton took it as a challenge when the defence vaulted to the league’s No. 1 ranking last week, saying it was time for the offence to strive to match them.
He did his part last night, throwing for 254 yards and four touchdowns, along with running for 95 more, as the Panthers piled up a franchise-record 548 yards in a 45-21 rout of the Miami Dolphins.
“It’s nice to see them have this type of breakout game,” Panthers’ coach Ron Rivera said of the offence, which had 30 first downs and converted 11-of-14 third downs.
“I still feel like we are scratching the surface of our potential in this offence,” said Newton.
“We have to trust in our ability to execute our coach’s plan.”
Newton improved to 5-1 in Monday night games while averaging 270.5 yards per game with 15 touchdowns and four interceptions.
“There is something about this stage with him,” Rivera said.
“He played a tremendous game.”
Jonathan Stewart ran for a season-high 110 yards while Newton had a 69-yard jaunt on a read option as the Panthers racked up 294 yards on the ground.
It was Stewart’s first 100-yard game since last December at Washington.
Rookie Christian McCaffrey scored touchdowns rushing and receiving, and Devin Funchess caught five passes for 92 yards and two touchdowns, as the Panthers (7-3) remained a half-game behind the NFC South-leading Saints heading into their bye week.
Newton had his share of fun on the field.
After being tackled on his 69-yard run, an exhausted Newton laid on the ground smiling and shaking his body as if trying to get feeling back into his legs.
Teammates joked with Newton that backup quarterback Derek Anderson could have scored on the play.
“When you ain’t got no gas left and your ‘check engine’ light is on and blinking, get gas at the next stop or so, man, you just have to try to celebrate when you can celebrate, brother,” Newton said.
“I was just hoping coach didn’t come back with another run play for me.”
He tiredly handed off on the next two plays.
“Everything was fun out there,” noted Funchess, who became the team’s No. 1 receiver when Kelvin Benjamin was traded to Buffalo two weeks ago.
Jay Cutler had 213 yards passing with two touchdowns and one interception for the Dolphins (4-5), who now have lost three-straight.
Jarvis Landry and Julian Thomas both caught TD passes for Miami.
The game turned with 41 seconds left in the first half when Luke Kuechly made a leaping interception along the sideline with Carolina leading 10-7.
Four plays later, Newton connected with tight end Ed Dickson on a seven-yard touchdown pass.
That opened the floodgates as the Panthers scored touchdowns on five-straight possessions in their most explosive output of the season.
“In an eight-minute span, the game got away from us,” said Dolphins’ coach Adam Gase. “It snowballed.
“We couldn’t prevent the big runs once they got going.”
The Panthers had entered the game 21st in the NFL in total offence and 24th in scoring.
“We get to watch them–that’s the fun part,” Kuechly said of the offence.
It was a big game for Stewart, who fumbled twice in last week’s 20-17 win over the Atlanta Falcons.
“He might have been playing with a chip on his shoulder, but we just wanted to get him to that second level,” said Panthers’ offensive tackle Matt Kalil.
The Dolphins, meanwhile, have put themselves in a difficult situation in a tight AFC playoff race.
“There are pieces in the locker-room. I truly believe that,” Cutler said.
