Cam Newton ran when there was nowhere to run, threw when there was no time to throw and was nearly forced to catch the passes himself. In an ugly game full of ugly moments, his Carolina Panthers won ugly—and it was beautiful.
For NFL fans who hadn't gotten a chance to familiarize themselves with the kind of magic Newton's been working all year long, Newton put on a show for the national Monday Night Football audience. Battling through a downpour, poor protection and a host of weather-induced miscues from everyone around him, Newton just kept working, kept executing, kept making great plays.