NEWTON PRESENTS UNIQUE CHALLENGE

Raiders must deal with new Patriots QB, who looks as good as ever

There’s still some work for Cam Newton to do before we can say Superman is back. Until then, the Patriots and their fans are fine with him just being the Man of Steel.

The quarterback nobody else wanted, and nobody else believed could return to MVP-level form with the Panthers, sure looks a lot like his old self with New England.

Maybe Bill Belichick just has that effect on quarterbacks?

Released by Carolina in March and signed three months later to a modest one-year deal worth up to $7.5 million with incentives, the 31-year-old Newton may have outplayed that deal already after two sterling performances from yesteryear.

Finally free of nagging foot and shoulder injuries, Newton nearly single-handedly led the Patriots to a thrilling come-from-behind win in Seattle on Sunday night. He accounted for 95 percent of New England’s offense, throwing for 397 yards as well as running for 47. His magic ran out on the Seahawks’ 1-yard line when he

was stopped in his tracks on a potential game-winning TD run as time expired.

Nonetheless, he’s at least shown the Raiders he’ll present quite a challenge Sunday in Foxboro, Mass. Just thinking of how the 6-foot-5, 245-pound Newton can frustrate his opponent’s defense puts an extra wide smirk on Belichick’s face.

“I think when you’re talking about mobile quarterbacks, guys that are tough to handle, can throw, run, make good decisions, I would put him at the top of the list,” Belichick told reporters last week. “Not saying there aren’t a lot of other good players that do that. But ... I think he’s the hardest guy to (defend).”

Two games isn’t much of a sample size, but in some ways Newton seems even better than he was in Carolina. Just consider:

• His 75.9 quarterback rating (QBR) is nine points better than his MVP season of 2015

• His 8.8 yards per pass attempt would represent a career-high.

• His current 71.4 completion percentage is 10 percent better than all but one of his 10 NFL seasons

• His 276 yards per game passing would be his second-best total ever

• His interception rate of 1.6 would be his lowest in a full season

If Newton can just come close to keeping up those numbers, he just may get his cape back.

WINSLOW TOWNSON — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Patriots quarterback Cam Newton calls out signals at the line of scrimmage during a game against the Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium on Sept. 13, in Foxborough, Mass.

ISAAC BREKKEN — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Raiders head coach Jon Gruden, left, speaks with quarterback Derek Carr (4) during the second half on Monday in Las Vegas.