With half of Carolina's 2011 season complete, here are 10 things I wouldn't have believed if you had told me in late July before the Panthers' training camp opened, and 10 things I would have believed without question.

I wouldn't have believed... Steve Smith would be on pace for an 1,836-yard receiving season. A bounce-back year was likely given how far his numbers fell in the nasty Jimmy Clausen/John Fox pairing of 2010, but No. 89 is as electrifying as ever and easily is on pace for a career high in yardage.

I would have believed... Smith at first would take the high road about his controversial holding penalty that helped ruin the Panthers' chance to beat Minnesota on Sunday, but then refer to the official who made the call as "a 70-year-old man gimping down the field."

I wouldn't have believed... Cam Newton would have thrown for more than 400 yards in each of his first two games and would be the runaway leader at the season's midpoint for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. I advocated Newton's selection as the No 1 pick but never would have predicted he would be this good this early.

I would have believed... Newton's primary issue would be turnovers, a familiar problem even for the best rookies. The Panthers are 2-0 when Newton doesn't commit a turnover but 0-6 when he does.

I wouldn't have believed... the Panthers would have decent chances in the fourth quarter to win all eight of their games.

I would have believed...the Panthers would lose six of those eight.

I wouldn't have believed... Greg Olsen and Jeremy Shockey would gain so much traction in the offense so quickly. Paying lip service to using your tight ends more is one thing, but actually doing it is something else. This has been second only to Newton's fast-track development as the biggest Panthers positive.

I would have believed... the Panthers would have such trouble defending the other teams' tight ends. We've seen that for, what, 17 years?

I wouldn't have believed... Panthers owner Jerry Richardson would have gone on Charlie Rose's TV talk show (and made news by saying he didn't want Newton to have any piercings or tattoos).

I would have believed... new coach Ron Rivera would turn out to be a standup guy and far more honest in interviews about his team's successes and shortcomings than predecessor Fox.

I wouldn't have believed... the Panthers would have such major defensive issues. The defense, remember, kept Carolina in many games far longer than the Panthers' offense deserved in 2010.

I would have believed... the Panthers would have such major special-teams issues.

I wouldn't have believed... linebacker Jon Beason would suffer a season-ending injury in the first game. Beason had been a model of durability throughout his career.

I would have believed... linebacker Thomas Davis and offensive tackle Jeff Otah would miss the majority of the season because of injuries - again. Sadly, it's no surprise when Davis and Otah get hurt.

I wouldn't have believed... John Kasay would get another job kicking inside the NFC South. I certainly thought he would kick somewhere in the NFL in 2011 after the Panthers released him, but that he ended up with New Orleans almost was too perfect.

I would have believed... Olindo Mare would have missed a critical, last-second kick and would have Panthers fans bemoaning the decision to hire him and fire Kasay. That was only a matter of time, for no kicker is perfect. The real question is what Mare does the next time he's in the same situation. Because if Mare misfires with the game on the line twice in a row, the Panthers have a real problem.

I wouldn't have believed... Bank of America Stadium not only would be technically sold out but actually look like a sellout for most home games.

I would have believed... Newton's No. 1 jersey would quickly become a hot seller (it's in the top 20 among all NFL jerseys sold over the past six months).

I wouldn't have believed... Newton would have four more rushing touchdowns halfway through the season than DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart do combined.

I would have believed... Armanti Edwards still wouldn't have scored his first NFL touchdown.