The most noteworthy challenge Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera may face heading down the stretch is staying wholesome.
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“It was looking rough, but the positive was defensively, we kept them out of the end zone, limited them to field goals in the first half”, said Raiders safety Charles Woodson, who appeared in his 250th regular-season game, the most among active defensive players.
The Panthers may look to their practice squad to find a replacement for Benwikere.
Meanwhile, tight end Greg Olsen also underwent an MRI Monday after sustaining a knee injury in Sunday’s victory, though an unidentified source told the Observer that he will be “OK” and likely play his 140th consecutive game Sunday at MetLife Stadium. However, coach Ron Rivera said both players should be fine and could have returned to the game but he elected to keep them out with the Panthers holding a 28-0 lead at halftime.
If that happens it would give them two weeks to play meaningless games and give Rivera a decision on whether to play starters and go for an undefeated season.
“We were playing very well on all cylinders, all phases, the biggest thing we had to do more than anything else was to be judicious as who we took out”, Rivera said. Carolina has scored 20-plus points in every game this season. “It was actually really good that we were in that situation because we got to work it a little more”.
In the waning moments of the Panthers’ 38-0 victory over Atlanta, quarterback Cam Newton gathered about a dozen of his offensive teammates around him on the sideline for a photo while the group dabbed.
But it’s been a frustrating season for one of the Panthers’ highest-paid players, with a salary cap hit of $20 million this year.
Colts quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, who is filling in for injured Andrew Luck, was hurt a couple times in the game.
Carolina dominated the opening quarter as running back Jonathan Stewart ran in a one-yard touchdown before Newton connected twice with wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr who ran in from 74 and 46 yards respectively. All that’s left is to clinch home-field advantage through the playoffs.
“The bottom line is it’s not about getting stats or anything like that this time of the year”, Rivera said. I really like his confidence throwing the ball across the middle with his guys. He hasn’t had a sack since returning from the hamstring injury and has only one all season. “And I truly do appreciate it. And it doesn’t bother me because I get it. Now, would I have preferred he’d talked to me? Yes”.
Atlanta (6-7) lost its sixth game in a row, further damaging remote chances to reach the playoffs.
Short attributed his success to the cohesion on the defensive line, saying “you come in and you’re not anxious about the guy that’s behind you and come in and be dominant as well”.
The Falcons knew the Panthers wanted to run Stewart and throw deep to Ginn, but they were not prepared to stop them. “The fact he didn’t play like he was capable of on that particular play and a couple others, that was a conversation we actually had for sure”. Carolina’s formula starts with the ground game, and Stewart is the one that spearheads that attack.
Atlanta’s Devonta Freeman was held to 40 yards rushing on 12 carries and Ryan to 224 yards passing.
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Despite missing two games, Kuechly still ranks second on the team in tackles, and he has a quarterback sack and four interceptions to his credit as well. “We’re not doing it well at all”. It got so bad that the Panthers were seen taking a team selfie at the two-minute warning. “We need to do that now”.
