In overtime, there was a perfect pass from Newton to the speedy Ted Ginn Jr. that was sure to be the winning touchdown until Ginn, streaking down the sideline, dropped the ball.

A younger Newton might not have been so unaffected. But against the Colts, he calmly helped keep the Panthers in the game by directing a drive to a tying field goal in overtime and securing enough yards after a Luke Kuechly interception to get Graham Gano close enough for a 52-yard winning field goal.

Newton, who runs a no-huddle offense that buys him time to make critical decisions at the line, was in control throughout.

“I think Cam has taken a pretty typical path toward leadership,” tight end Greg Olsen said. “I think he did it naturally. I think he did it both by his play and by the way he does things off the field. I think when you come in as a young player, as he did, with such expectations and such high regard with what he accomplished, first overall pick and all that, obviously there’s a lot of expectation placed on you. He’s done everything and more to surpass those expectations both from his performance and his development into a leadership position.”

Newton and the Panthers have been building toward this for years, beginning in 2011, when Ron Rivera was hired as coach and Newton was his first-ever pick. Newton is now an elite quarterback in the N.F.L., the only one to have thrown for at least 3,000 yards and rushed for at least 500 in each of his first four seasons. He is on pace to reach those figures again this year.

Newton’s numbers do not put him at the top of the league; he ranks well behind in passing yards, touchdowns and completion percentage. But the Panthers are ranked No. 1 in rushing, in part because of Newton, who has 286 yards and four touchdowns.