Newton leads Carolina in upset

GLENDALE, ARIZ.» Cam Newton provided a flashback to his Superman days in his second debut with the Panthers, throwing for one touchdown, running for another and sparking Carolina to a 34-10 win over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.

Newton — the 2015 NFL MVP who was signed by the quarterback-thin Panthers earlier in the week — made his presence felt on his first play of the game, entering on third down and screaming “I’m back!” after barreling into the right corner of the end zone for a 2-yard touchdown.

On Carolina’s next drive, Newton threw a 2-yard TD pass to Robby Anderson as the Panthers (5-5) built a stunning 17-0 lead in the first quarter and a 23-0 advantage by halftime.

The Cardinals (8-2) had the best record in the NFL coming into the game but looked discombobulated from the beginning.

Backup Colt Mccoy, who was playing a second straight game for the injured Kyler Murray, coughed up a fumble after being sacked on the third play of the game. It gave Carolina great field position that it eventually converted into Newton’s touchdown run and a 7-0 lead.

It only got worse for Arizona. The Cardinals — who were also missing top receiver Deandre Hopkins — managed 169 total yards and could never mount a response after Carolina’s opening onslaught.

Carolina’s struggling offense looked reborn with Newton in the mix. The majority of snaps went to P.J. Walker, who completed 22 of 29 passes for 167 yards, and Newton was saved for mostly shortyardage situations. Christian Mccaffrey also had a big day in the backfield, running for 95 yards and catching 10 passes for 66 yards.