There were some worries over how Kelvin Benjamin’s return would affect the Panthers’ chemistry on offense.
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Newton, who seemed to focus on Benjamin and tight end Greg Olsen in the season opener, spread the ball around more effectively in Week 2.
“It’s only my second game”, he said. The Panthers rolled over the 49ers, 46-27, for their first win of the season, behind Newton’s 353 yards and four touchdowns through the air.
“It felt like a couple times early on, we just felt as if one person was taking turns messing up”, Carolina quarterback Cam Newton said. “I’m just trying to be there for the team and provide a spark when I can”. Linebacker NaVarro Bowman and company kept Rams running back at bay with a total of 47 rushing yards on 17 attempts.
And when the Panthers, leading by seven midway through the fourth quarter, needed a big play on third-and-10, it was Benjamin who came through with another contested catch.
-After Stewart’s exit, Fozzy Whittaker took over as the main ballcarrier, finishing with 100 yards on 16 carries.
He began to be courted by colleges when, as a junior in high school, he passed for 2,500 yards, completing 23 touchdowns and running nine more.
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The New England Patriots lost quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, then nearly lost the game. Gabbert threw a 28-yard touchdown pass to Torrey Smith in the second quarter and made a couple of other nice passes – Chip Kelly mentioned some drops by receivers post-game, too.
WASHINGTON – Alfred Morris scored on a 4-yard run with 4:45 left to help Dallas defeat Washington, his former team. Safety Jaquiski Tartt tried to knock him off his feet, but Benjamin bounced right off him and landed in the end zone for the 9-yard score.
HOUSTON – Carried by another stifling defensive performance, one aided by a staunch commitment to running the football, Houston extended its regular-season winning streak to five games by topping Kansas City.
Bradberry was happy to get fourth-quarter revenge. In Cincinnati’s loss to Pittsburgh, he had 10 tackles, including two behind the line of scrimmage, and broke up a pass. After being humiliated in the Super Bowl by the Denver Broncos, the Panthers had to face the embarrassment of being defeated by their foe again in a rematch during the first game of the National Football League season.
But if any team in the NFL is capable of pulling off such a feat, it’s these Panthers, who have added a rejuvenated and healthy Benjamin to a unit that last season led the league in scoring at 31.3 points per game.
Garoppolo had thrown three first half touchdowns up until that point as the Patriots raced out to an early 21-0 lead. Bethea and Chris Davis forced the fumble.
CLEVELAND – Baltimore fought back from a 20-0 deficit to beat Cleveland and remain undefeated. Marcus Martin surrendered a sack to Panthers defensive tackle Star Lotulelei on third down to set up Dawson’s 39-yard field goal.
In all, Newton targeted different receivers and seven players caught at least two passes.
Though the Cardinals only sacked Winston twice, they recovered a fumble he lost and intercepted him four times.
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Rookie Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott looked poised throughout – finishing 22 for 30 for 292 yards – and scrambled in for a six-yard touchdown run in the second half.
