Palmer-Newton more compelling than stale Brady-Manning matchup

Lost in the hoopla surrounding another meeting between Tom Brady and Peyton Manning this championship weekend is the far more interesting quarterback matchup of Cam Newton and Carson Palmer.

On the surface Palmer and Newton appear to be polar opposites, but their careers aren't dissimilar. Both won the Heisman Trophy in college (this Sunday marking the first time two quarterback winners will face each other in the NFL playoffs), both were selected first overall and given the burden of turning around moribund franchises, and both found unprecedented success in 2015 after serious doubts about their futures in 2014.

It's easy to forget where these two were in Week 15 last season. Both watched from the sidelines as Drew Stanton and Derek Anderson led their teams to victories. Newton was injured in a car wreck that could've been far worse, while Palmer was dealing with another serious injury, the second torn ACL of his career.

Even before the car wreck, Newton's struggles were becoming an issue, with the honeymoon phase long gone and the Panthers stuck in a losing season that included a stretch of two full months without a win. He rushed for career lows in yards and touchdowns and looked awkward in the pocket. Newton was banged up and looked so bad the concept of a dual-threat quarterback as a viable franchise investment came under fire.

Palmer was at a crossroads as well. An injury-plagued season once again derailed him and he watched his team helplessly crumble after a 9-1 start. The idea that Palmer was a franchise quarterback was a thing of the past and drafting a quarterback to at least challenge for the starting job appeared to be the next step.

But both Bruce Arians and Ron Rivera stayed the course, refusing to create any QB controversies by admitting their starters were fatally flawed. That persistence has proven fortunate for both franchises. Though both Palmer and Newton have taken damage, each has thrived because of a strong belief in the way they play the position.

Newton unabashedly went back to his dual-threat roots, rushing for 636 yards and 10 touchdowns this season, fearlessly taking on tacklers to pick up extra yards. Palmer used a stable of speedy receivers to take deep shots at will, hitting on 10 touchdowns of 20-plus yards while taking pressure on more than 40 percent of snaps, according to Pro Football Focus.

Through completely different styles, the results have been the same this season. Each had 35 passing touchdowns against 10 and 11 interceptions, respectively. They led No. 1 and No. 2 scoring offenses in the NFL and their teams combined to go 28-4.

Now one will get the chance to appear in football's biggest game for the first time, validating careers that have been both brilliant and wayward at times. For just the second time since 2011, someone without the last name Manning, Brady or Wilson will be quarterbacking a team in the Super Bowl.