Much to the surprise of just about everyone, the Carolina Panthers remain the only undefeated team in the NFL. Now, fans have their mouths watering for a rematch of what is widely considered one of the greatest Super Bowls of all time—and chances are good that they'll get their wish.

When the season kicked off with No. 1 receiver Kelvin Benjamin going down for the year with a torn ACL, few expected much from the Panthers. With a receiving corps that included Ted Ginn Jr., Jerricho Cotchery, Devin Funchess, and Philly Brown, even the most cynical of Carolina supporters were willing to give the Panthers a pass. What was sure to be a disappointing season could already be explained a lack of offensive weapons.

But the Panthers won–and kept on winning.

Quarterback Cam Newton is having what is easily the best season of his career, one that's launched him into the lead for the NFL's Most Valuable Player. Newton has managed to take the lackluster Panthers' offense and make something out of nothing. If Carolina continues to win, and if Newton keeps up his string of superb performances, there will be little argument he's this season's MVP.

Critics who said the Panthers' success was due to a soft schedule were silenced by mid-season wins against the Seahawks and Packers. Newton and company haven't slowed since.

In Week 13 against the Saints, Newton threw five touchdowns for the second time in three games, improving the Panthers' record to a franchise-best 12-0. The win in New Orleans made Carolina the first team to secure a playoff spot, and they're now co-favorites alongside the New England Patriots to win the upcoming Super Bowl.

But with the injuries to running back Dion Lewis, receiver Julian Edelman and star tight end Rob Gronkowski, in addition to quarterback Tom Brady's disappointing performance in Week 13 against the Eagles, many now consider the Panthers more of a sure thing than the 10-2 Patriots. Because of all their injuries, Betfair's tipsters noted that New England faces a "very real possibility of not having any home field advantage." They also point out the Patriots could be forced to play on Wild Card weekend, adding another game on their road to the Super Bowl.

While we prefer the Panthers to win it all, we'd be lying if we didn't admit we're pretty excited at the prospect of a rematch of Super Bowl XXXVIII. And we're not the only ones. According to ESPN, both New England and Carolina have equal odds of winning this year's title at 4-1, though that's subject to change based on how the Patriots handle their injury problems.

For those who may not remember Super Bowl XXXVIII from 2004, it was the first and only time the Panthers have been in the big game. The Patriots won by just three points in what is considered one of the most entertaining Super Bowls of all time. That year was also notable for a particular "wardrobe malfunction" that occurred during the halftime show. With British rock band Coldplay set to perform at halftime this February, we seriously doubt the chances of a similar mishap.

Regardless of how things end up, Panthers fans can take a certain degree of comfort knowing their team is already in the postseason. The key will be to take it one game at a time, which they've been doing to perfection all year long.