The Carolina Panthers get to be meme heroes after their impressive win over the Green Bay Packers, with Cam Newton being just as good if not better than Aaron Rodgers, which isn’t something to be taken lightly.

Of course, Newton has a much better defense and running game helping him, but it’s not to say he hasn’t come a long way in the last few years, in the right kind of setup and system. He might not have the superstar numbers, but he does the right things at the right time to win games.

The Packers, losing two games in a row to undefeated teams (although the Broncos aren’t undefeated anymore either), don’t look so special anymore, and it’s hard to say if it’s a defense problem, a running game problem, Aaron Rodgers suffering from something holding him or Mike McCarthy once again messing up the play calling.

The Panthers are in a whole different place compared to last season, when they rallied back from a 3-8-1 start to make the playoffs. They’re in control of the NFC and not too far from already clinching a third playoff berth in a row, looking more impressive than they’ve ever looked.