The Carolina Panthers have done it again. They beat the New Orleans Saints 41-38 on Sunday afternoon. The Panthers don’t seem like they are slowing down, and a perfect season is a definite possibility, but how are they doing it?

With this victory, the Panthers move to 12-0. The Panthers are one of the biggest surprises of the 2015-16 NFL season. After losing their number one wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin to a torn ACL, and starting running back DeAngelo Williams to free agency in the offseason, and finishing with a losing record a season ago, there was little to be optimistic about. The Panthers’ draft was anything  but impressive, with some reports calling it the worst draft of the 2015 NFL draft. The Panthers headed into the 2015-16 season with mediocre expectations at best, yet somehow have defied expectations to rise to the top of the NFL.

The Panthers’ offense may be one of the most dynamic in recent years. Quarterback Cam Newton is playing at an MVP level. The Auburn product has 25 touchdowns thrown, and 7 touchdowns rushing. He seems to have brought himself to the next level, and a large contract and success are his rewards. Running back Johnathon Stewart finally gets his role in the offense. After years of backing up Williams, Stewart finally gets the starting role, and he is taking advantage of every carry. After a slow and injured (ankle) start to the season, Stewart has picked up his game. He’s totaled 914 yards on 232 carries along with 5 rushing touchdowns and 1 receiving touchdowns so far. His future is a bright one. Arguably the weakest point of this offense is the lackluster receiving core, yet they still get the job done. Tight end Greg Olson leads the team in yards by a large margin, with 917 yards and the second most with 515, being Ted Ginn Jr.

The Panthers’ defense is formidable. With the second most efficient defense in the league, the Panthers look terrific. The defense is led by linebacker and former Defensive Player of the Year, Luke Kuechly. Josh Norman and Charles Tillman lock down the cornerback position. Defensive end Jared Allen was brought in a few games in, and is making his presence known.

The season these Carolina Panthers have put together is magical. The defensive is great, but any football fan knows you have to score to win, and yet the Panthers have a weak receiving core. While Stewart is good, he is no offensive juggernaut. So where does it start? What is the secret to their success? Cam Newton. Cam Newton is leading the offense, and leading this team. He is the main reason for the terrific season. It’s hard to put into words just how Newton performs, but he does. His dynamic play style of running and throwing the ball is something only a few quarterbacks in history could do.   It’s exciting to watch him play, and he seems to have the most fun playing football than anyone else in the league. His end zone dances get the crowd into the game.

Some people will argue that the Panthers aren’t for real. While some argue their schedule isn’t the toughest, beating the Green Bay Packers and the Seattle Seahawks in Seattle is an impressive feat. It’s not the Panthers’ fault they don’t play teams like the New England Patriots or Cincinnati Bengals. The Panthers’ were given sixteen teams to play, and they have won every game so far. A 16-0 season is the elephant in the room, and with Newton leading the charge, it is definitely a possibility.