The last two weeks — since the Panthers whipped the Cardinals in Charlotte — have been a blur. I watched just about every second of the 2015 season for the Panthers. You don’t have to be a scout to see why this team is good; it’s painfully obvious; the formula really isn’t that complicated. With the Panthers, though, it’s not just about the eye test — check the numbers (this team led the league in point differential), too, including some of the deeper analytics. There’s no questioning how good this team is, and yet…somehow I still can’t believe we’re here.

Ever since Carolina drafted Cam Newton No. 1 overall back in 2011, I’ve defended him to my friends. There have been peaks and valleys with this scenario, but I carried that goddamn water. I realize that at times I was probably also trying to convince myself: Cameron Jerrell Newton is The Franchise. It just always seemed like if he could correct a few small things…my god, could you imagine? He’d be the perfect player: a bored teenager’s created player from Madden who has come to life. Oh, and he happens to play for your favorite team. How did this happen? What did we do to deserve this?

Well, here we are now. Later tonight, he’ll almost certainly be named the league MVP, and with a win tomorrow, he could cap one of the five or ten best team seasons in the history of the NFL. The Panthers are 17-1, and favored to win the Super Bowl. Turn up the LCD Soundsystem — this is happening.

I was lucky enough to be at this year’s NFC Championship game; it was amazing to watch Cam in person. You simply can’t take your eyes off of him — even in warm-ups. If you brought a person from Latvia who’d never seen football before — KRAPSNAPS PAZINGAS, perhaps  — they could take one look at the pitch and know immediately who the best player on the field is; it’s the dude with the Superman t-shirt on under his No. 1-stiched jersey. There’s an aura surrounding him; he projects energy.

My favorite act in the history of music is Outkast — the pride of Atlanta, which also happens to be the city Cam hails from. At the 1995 Source Awards, these two dudes were named Best New Rap Group; when they went to the stage to accept their award, famously, they were booed. Everyone cared about the two coasts — East, West. Who in the hell were these country boys from the South?

Twenty years later, however, we know exactly who Outkast is: they’re the best group in the history of rap music. I won’t hear any other answers. Nowadays, we look back on the Kast as being visionaries ahead of their time — a paradigm shift. They were from the future. Regardless of what happens tomorrow, though, we can all agree: the future is now, too, with Cam. You want to deny that, or try to tell me otherwise…nah, hush that fuss.

Stat Boi’s track of the week: “Rosa Parks” by Outkast.

The genesis of this gif is from those 95 Source Awards. Take it away, 3 Stacks, we know what the deal is. Enjoy the game tomorrow, everyone. Go Panthers.

The Carolina Panthers started their season off with four straight wins before the Week 5 bye. They won two of those games by two scores, but it’s safe to say, the team had yet to hit their stride by early October. After each of those first four games, though, my good friend and I would jokingly text after the wins, and — dripping with irony — say this team was destined to go 19-0 and win the Super Bowl.

Most of this was said in jest, but about halfway through the season, it became apparent just how legit this team was; I started planning a trip to Vegas to challenge my luck, but then I quickly came back to my senses. Well, the undefeated season went out the window several weeks ago, but the latter goal — winning the freaking Super Bowl — still remains a possibility. I always thought Cam Newton would get this team to this juncture; I just didn’t think it would be this season. But…here we are.

Last week for this post, I kept it southern with a classic number from Big Boi; the Panthers are the NFC South champs, so we’re going to stick with the Third Coast, baby, the day before the title game, too.

Killer Mike, who is a god, is from Atlanta — as is College Park Cam — so he’s next on the docket. Right before he teamed up with El-P to form Run The Jewels, the two collaborated on Mike’s most recent and amazing solo album: R.A.P. Music. Stat Boi’s track of the week: “Southern Fried” by Killer Mike. Enjoy:

Once again, just like last week, take it away, 3 Stacks: “The South got something to say.” I’ll be in the joint Sunday night — I somehow lucked into a ticket last minute. See you guys there. Go Panthers.

(Pictured above: B.oB. — who will be performing at halftime of the Panthers game this week, Big Boi — who is the best person alive, and Future — who is the father of a child with Ciara, who is currently and happily dating Russell Wilson. I assume they’re all laughing about Macklemore. Also, there’s definitely dirty Sprite in that Vitamin Water cup.)

So…did anyone hear about a football game taking place down in Charlotte this weekend? Perhaps? Well…COME ON DOWN, SEAHAWKS.

Ever since Blair Walsh wanked that chip shot last Sunday, I’ve been brooding about the playoff draw of the Panthers: You win 15 games, lock up home field advantage, and your reward is this monster effing defense who has won seven of eight freaking games. Oh, and of course Skittles is back in the lineup, too. WHERE’S THE JUSTISE?

The last time these two teams met, I was out in Denver, visiting friends — most of whom hail from North Carolina and love their Panthers — and doing cool things. We sat at the bar, and lost our damn cookies after Greg Olsen hauled in the game winner. I just wanna get back to that feeling, man.

Now, for the first time in 120 hours, I feel tentatively confident in Sunday’s game; a lot of that is me just rationalizing how this match-up isn’t as disastrous for Carolina as all the prognosticators continue to harp on. My god, they won’t stop harping. Their harping is relentless. But the remainder of my recent morale surge came from listening to one of my favorite songs of 2010, which doubles as Stat Boi’s track of the week — “General Patton” by Big Boi. You want to get right before 1:05 p.m.? This jam is for you.

“The South got something to say.” See you guys on Sunday; lets do this thing. Go Panthers.