“That was fun”, Luck said.
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“When things break down, his ability to extend plays”, said Pagano.
“We still have a lot of work to do”.
Victories like those have made Carolina confident but hungry.
Cam Newton is leading favored Carolina’s offense against Indy. “We’re not satisfied with what we’ve done”.
As such, things won’t get any easier for the Colts defense, who’ve already had the misfortune of facing Tom Brady and Drew Brees in consecutive weeks prior respectively. Starting six games, Adams has recorded 31 tackles, five passes defensed, and four interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown.
Instead, Luck is having arguably the worst season of his career, and the Colts are 3-4. While those numbers aren’t earth-shattering, Newton did have 9 rushes for 53 total rush yards (5.9 ypc average) and a touchdown in a 27-19 Panthers win.
“It’s one of those things where if we can run the ball effectively it will take pressure off the quarterback”, coach Ron Rivera said. “Secondly, it gives your offensive linemen a chance to tee off. And third, it does wear people down a little”.
Next up is a Monday night trip to Carolina (6-0), followed by a short week to prepare for Peyton Manning and the unbeaten Broncos (6-0).
Newton caused all sorts of havoc the last time that he faced Indianapolis in 2011.
Indianapolis, however, won’t need to panic because it remains atop an AFC South division that’s the worst in football.
Quarterback Andrew Luck is coming off a two-interception performance against the New Orleans Saints.
Newton, who won the Heisman Trophy in 2010 – the first of two years in which Luck was runner-up – also got to spend a few time with Luck at the Pro Bowl following the 2013 season.
Luck said that the shoulder feels fine after the game, but he hardly played like the player we grew accustomed to seeing during his first three seasons in the NFL. “I’ve got to play better”. “We’ll play better, and we’ll fix what needs to get fixed”.
Firing Pagano, however, is unlikely to help much: Luck appears to have taken a step back in his development, his confidence rattled as he plays behind a leaky offensive line, and the defense is ranked dead last in the NFL. If the Colts’ offense can’t create any holes for Frank Gore, Chuck Pagano’s team will drop to 3-5. The veteran averages 4.6 yards per carry, but has finished with at least 20 carries only once this season and has 22 in the last two games. The 29th overall pick has 11 receptions for 167 yards and a TD.
“When I talked to him trying to sway him to come here, you could hear it in his voice”, Newton said.
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