There’s a very real chance the Carolina Panthers could hold Cam Newton out of today’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and they were careful not to tip their hand to the starter as they sent both Newton and backup Derek Anderson to FOX analyst and former Bucs legend Ronde Barber. Panthers head coach Ron Rivera wants to be cautious, but benching Newton would likely hand a loss to the team against a rival in a critical opener with division ranking ramifications down the road.
Cat Crave
FOX Sports’s Jay Glazer reports, via Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, that Newton could miss three to four weeks if he is hit in the ribs during today’s game against the Buccaneers. Last year, only Gerald McCoy and an occasional Lavonte David blitz would be threats to the QB, but the Buccaneers now have two more top-notch defensive linemen in Michael Johnson and Clinton McDonald.
It sounds like the Panthers would like to hold Newton out of today’s game in an effort to be as cautious as possible with their franchise quarterback, as they want to make sure he is healthy for the entire season. Per Glazer, it’s up to Newton to prove to Rivera and the Panthers that his rib is healthy enough to hold up for the whole game, and missing this game would be the first time he misses a game at any level due to an injury.