“Force of nature” Cam Newton focusing on the work 

Running back Christian McCaffrey seems as stunned by some of it as fans in the stands are (at least judging by his celebration after one of Newton’s scores), but also pointed out that his influence goes beyond any one facet of the game.

“He has an amazing effect on a team and the game,” McCaffrey said. “His ability to make plays, not just throwing the ball but with his feet, is definitely special.

“But the way he can impact a game is much more than that from an energy standpoint, a momentum standpoint. When he gets in a groove, he’s very difficult to stop. I’ve seen it firsthand. There’s a million things he’s good at, so he’s fun to play with.”

Energy is obviously a key component.

But as Rhule pointed out, the energy doesn’t matter if he’s not making plays.

“I think the thing Cam brings, to me, is execution,” Rhule said. “First two plays he scores touchdowns, that’s like a movie. I sat there and couldn’t believe it happened. Does he bring energy? Yeah, I just don’t want to diminish his on-the-field play.

“Yes, he’s walking around the locker room, he’s fun to be around, he’s yelling and screaming, he smacked me in the middle of the game. He’s fun to be around. But at the end of the day, he’ll be the first to tell you, all that’s for naught if he doesn’t play well. He gets that; he sees that. It’s all about winning.”