Newton’s head snapped from side to side.
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The NFL released a statement Friday saying medical officials determined Newton didn’t need to leave the game due to injury. “They concluded there were no indications of a concussion that would require further evaluation and the removal of the player”.
“It’s not my job to question the officials”, Newton said after finally emerging from the trainer’s room. That left him one personal foul shy of being ejected, under the league’s new policy, but it’s unfair to assume Turner pushed that envelope based strictly on Wolfe’s comments.
“What are we supposed to do?” said Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall, who doled out a couple of egregious hits on Newton. You don’t do that – he’s going to run all over teams and be Superman the whole game. A flag was thrown but it was nullified because officials also called Newton for intentional grounding.
The Panthers got the ball back with 3:03 left in the game at their own 40 yard line.
Here are four things we learned about the NFC Champion Carolina Panthers by watching their game last night.
“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.
But Thursday’s game was further example of how the National Football League continues to have a high tolerance for other people’s pain.
And practically no one came to the aid of the Carolina Panthers quarterback and reigning League Most Valuable Player. Of those, only one was penalized.
Thankfully for the Panthers and Newton, he wasn’t placed in concussion protocol following the contest.
That play resulted in a penalty against Denver, but other violent shots did not – much to the dismay of Panthers tight end Greg Olsen. “You know the deal”.
The victory came despite many mistakes by Denver. “First, he’s a big man at 6’5” and 245 pounds. This led to speculation that officials allow more unsafe hits on Newton, whether it is consciously or subconsciously. Siemian went to Northwestern in favor of Harvard, was a seventh-round pick, has a surgeon for a dad and an ER nurse for a mom, and was described as “poised” something like 800 times during last night’s broadcast. Both plays easily could have-and probably should have-been flagged. Just as he did over and over in the Super Bowl, Miller made a big play, sweeping past right tackle Mike Remmers and sacking Newton. Here, Siemian almost threw an interception, tossing the ball into the extended mitts of Kony Ealy. He didn’t call out the Denver Broncos for being dirty, and he didn’t try to play the role of team doctor.
But at this rate, if Newton is allowed to be roughed up like this on a consistent basis, his career is going to be over a lot sooner than later.
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Whether the reason being the pace of the game and helmet to helmet cannot always be seen, or the mentality officials have on Cam because of how he plays and his size, none of that should matter.
