Fearless predictions: Panthers QB Cam Newton will take off, repeatedly, vs. Jets

Five fearless predictions for Sunday’s Carolina Panthers game at the New York Jets:

1. Cam Newton will rush for 50 yards.

With the exception of a game against the Bills’ Tyrod Taylor this month, mobile quarterbacks have given the Jets fits. New York is 29th in the league in rushing yards allowed to quarterbacks, so expect Newton to have a big day on the ground. Newton was the Panthers’ leading rusher three games in a row before Jonathan Stewart had a 100-yard effort vs. the Dolphins before the bye week.

2. Josh McCown will be efficient ...

... when he has time to throw. The Jets’ quarterback, who played for the Panthers in 2008-09, has a 69.0 completion percentage, which trails only Drew Brees and Alex Smith. McCown, 38, two weeks ago became the oldest QB in NFL history to reach his career high in TD passes (14) in a season. McCown has played well despite being sacked 32 times, the third-most in the league.

3. Jets will win the turnover battle.

With 17 takeaways, the Jets already have surpassed their total from last season, when they 14 and finished last in the league in turnover margin. Rookie safeties Jamal Adams (two sacks) and Marcus Maye (two interceptions) have established themselves as playmakers. The Panthers have been more opportunistic of late but are still among only four teams with a single-digit takeaway total.

4. Panthers will win the penalty battle.

The Jets have committed dumb penalties all season and are tied with Kansas City as the league’s third-most penalized team, behind only Seattle and Miami. Meanwhile, the Panthers remain the least-penalized team, averaging only 4.5 accepted penalties a game. With both teams coming off byes, expect to see a few flags Sunday. Expect to see more on the Jets.

5. Greg Olsen will catch a TD.

The Panthers plan to limit the snaps for their Pro Bowl tight end in his return from a broken foot. Still, Olsen fills the red-zone void left by the Kelvin Benjamin trade, and will pull down a touchdown pass from Newton vs. the Jets. Ex-Panther Kony Ealy will add to his NFL-leading batted pass total. But the Jets as a defense won’t get nearly enough pressure on Newton. Panthers 27, Jets 17.

This story was originally published November 24, 2017 at 4:45 PM with the headline "Fearless predictions: Panthers QB Cam Newton will take off, repeatedly, vs. Jets."