The most noteworthy challenge Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera may face heading down the stretch is staying wholesome. Yesterday evening, the Carolina Panthers extended their run to 13-0 and the NFL and remain the only unbeaten team in the league with every other side losing at least two games.
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However, Rivera said starting cornerback Bene Benwikere broke his left leg and is done for the season.
-CB Charles Tillman missed his fourth game in a row with a knee injury.
The Panthers are considering elevating Lou Young from the practice squad or signing a player such as Robert McClain, who worked out with the team last month before the Panthers signed Finnegan.
For the most part, all of the players obliged Newton’s wishes, until you look at the back of the photo where you can see that Panthers’ tight end Greg Olsen wanted no part of the celebratory picture.
The Panthers can clinch the No. 1 seed before then if they beat the New York Giants and Arizona loses.
Unlike a week earlier when the Panthers escaped at New Orleans, they were cruising from the get-go in this game.
“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.
The game started off badly for the Falcons and things went downhill quickly.
“You can’t play scared”, Rivera said of the balance of resting players. I’d rather have that honestly than guys that are looking to find the bench in the fourth quarter and hide from the competition.
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.
Buffalo’s LeSean McCoy had 74 yards rushing and 35 receiving in his return to Philadelphia, but his efforts were not enough for the Bills, who fell two games behind in the AFC wild-card race.
Newton connected on scoring strikes of 74 and 46 yards to Ted Ginn Jr., and Jonathan Stewart ran for a touchdown as the Panthers scored on their first three possessions to take a 21-0 lead in the first quarter.
“We may not be going to the playoffs, but we want to bring that momentum into the off-season”, Gurley said. “I truly do appreciate that, and it doesn’t bother me, because I get it”. The 66,000-seat stadium was less than half full and if team owner Stan Kroenke gets his way, it will be completely empty next year and his team will be on its way to Los Angeles. I really like his confidence throwing the ball across the middle with his guys.
Atlanta also had virtually no run game on Sunday, as Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman were held to a combined 55 yards on 15 carries. Finally, the Panthers wrap up their regular season against a Bucs team that won’t have anything on the line. Short forced two Matt Ryan fumbles, one that resulted in a turnover.
Cornerback Josh Norman seemed to have a running feud with Atlanta receiver Julio Jones, who entered the game with an NFL-leading 102 catches.
Defensive tackle Ra’Shede Hageman, obviously upset, had to be pulled away from and defensive line coach Bryan Cox.
Stewart started his career as one half of a great running back tandem with DeAngelo Williams.
“When you score zero points, clearly, we’re not doing our job”, Ryan said.
The Steelers (8-5) rumbled with the Bengals during pre-game warm-ups and then led the whole way, sending Cincinnati (10-3) to their first lopsided loss of the season.
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“That’s what I expect from our club and that’s what we will get done. We need to do that now”.
