CHARLOTTE, N.C. — One word to describe Cam Newton on Sunday in the Broncos' 36-14 obliteration of the Carolina Panthers?


Not scary good. Scary as in: "Cam is lucky he got out of that game without getting hurt."

The Panthers' horrendously overmatched offensive line allowed Newton to get sacked seven times and to get hit maybe a dozen more.

Newton spent the game with Denver linebacker Von Miller surgically attached.

But it wasn't scary only in that way. It was also scary as in: "Is that really all Newton has?"

For Newton was something on Sunday that he is rarely described as: average.

Yes, he had very little time. But even when he had time, too often No. 1 missed his No. 1 receiver. Steve Smith was targeted seven times and caught one pass, and that's not because Smith was dropping them. That's because Newton was throwing them 6 feet over Smith's head.

The only people doing the "Superman" thing on the Panthers' home field Sunday were Broncos openly mocking Newton. Miller did "Superman" it right after his first sack. Denver cornerback Tony Carter did it after he returned an interception 40 yards for a touchdown.

On the interception, Newton had Miller attached to him once again. But Newton was trying to make a very dangerous sideline throw while falling down, and that wasn't smart. Newton said he should have slung the ball out of bounds.

"I've got to be more mature, knowing that it's better to be second-and-10 instead of a pick six," Newton said.

On another play, Newton was sacked for a rare safety when he held onto the ball too long — not helped by the fact that an unnamed Panther he planned to use as his checkdown stayed in blocking and never got out on the route.

Still, another poor decision not to throw the ball away.

It was impossible not to compare the two quarterbacks on the field. Newton suffers in a comparison to Peyton Manning, as just about anyone would. Manning — with more time, more experience and more touch — threw for 301 yards even though the Panthers got decent pressure against him.

Newton, on the other hand, went 0-for-12 on third-down conversions. He threw for 241 yards and two touchdowns, but he also had two interceptions and little luck finding anyone downfield except tight end Greg Olsen. Newton also couldn't get loose on a single scramble (four runs, 7 yards).

Newton and Smith had a long, quiet talk in the locker room after the game, sitting side by side with Smith doing most of the talking.

Smith wouldn't comment after the game about anything, and Newton characterized their conversation this way: "Me and Steve always talk. We're a team. We're just going through a tough time. We've got to just keep fighting."

Newton called his inability to connect with Smith "frustrating."

"We've got to get him the football," Newton said. "Whether it's my fault, whether it's the plays, the reads ... it has to be a conscientious thought on each and every drive."

Newton tried hard not to blame his troubles on anyone other than himself Sunday. He said of his offensive line: "I'm not thrashing them. I don't expect anyone to thrash them."

He quoted his head coach, saying: "Coach Rivera always asks, 'Are you a person that looks through a window and points a finger at someone or are you a person that looks in the mirror?' I look in the mirror."

What does Newton see in that mirror right now? A player who simply isn't as effective as he was in his rookie year.

Now a lot of that is because of an offensive line that wasn't that great to begin with and got far worse when Pro Bowl center Ryan Kalil was lost for the year (my first choice for the Panthers' high pick in the 2013 draft would be an offensive lineman).

But Newton also just isn't playing that well. Right now, he is average.

And for a team that wants to commit to building the franchise around Newton, that's very scary.

Scott Fowler:; Twitter: @Scott_Fowler