This will be the topic on plenty of sports radio segments, newsprint and internet space will endeavor to analyse from every conceivable angle over the next week as we process what we saw in Thursday night’s Panthers 21-20 loss to the Denver Broncos.
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They certainly delivered in the opener.
Stewart insisted his brutal blow wasn’t intended as a shot to Newton’s head and said he’d appeal any fine.
While Rivera questioned the non-calls, he didn’t question the officials or doctors for not placing Newton in the concussion protocol after the final helmet-to-helmet hit that left the quarterback face down on the turf and obviously shaken. Newton stayed in and led the Panthers into field goal range, although Graham Gano missed a 50-yard attempt that would have given Carolina the lead.
The NFL and NFLPA will further investigate the Panthers’ response to the hits absorbed by quarterback Cam Newton, contradicting the league’s stance Friday that the medical staff had taken appropriate precautions. It was clearly a hit worthy of review, and the National Football League said on Friday it did just that. I’m definitely going to appeal. “I think that’s our moment”.
Clearly, the NFL’s epiphany on player health – which the jaded will note only came at the prodding of a massive lawsuit brought by former players whose lives were ruined by repeated hits to the head – still hasn’t gone far enough. “I was just trying to get there as fast as possible”.
Newton, the reigning NFL MVP, endured several hits that were equally nasty, and the refs only flagged one.
The Panthers quarterback’s dad blamed a “hidden bias” among the referees, hinting that he believes if his son wasn’t black, the referees would’ve flagged more of the controversial plays. “I know he’s the biggest guy on the field, but he’s still a quarterback”.
“Absolutely, they’re worth the consequences”, Marshall said.
That was smart because Newton can let the media do the work for him.
“The guy is a big. tight end, defensive end playing quarterback”.
“It wasn’t so much to build confidence as to show confidence”, Kubiak said Friday, suggesting the only way a young QB gets better is for his coach to show faith in him.
In one game, Newton essentially played quarter back, running back and even blocked like a lineman.
“I think there is a little bit of prejudice to that”, Rivera said of the lack of penalties to Newton.
They realised that they had to go back to what won them the superbowl. “If you want a team of personalities attacking, sometimes you’ve got to take the good with the bad”.
“People react to big hits differently”.
“Hit him!” hollered Shane Ray in the locker next to Marshall’s. “Obviously you have to protect the ball down there, but we sure as hell could have helped him”. “And it’s tough, man”.
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“Our doctor and the independent come together, and they go and look at it immediately on instant replay, and in this case this happened”, he said. “If he’s not going to slide, then we’re really going to put something on you”.
