Denver Broncos running back C.J. Anderson (22) runs in for a touchdown against the Carolina Panthers during the second half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Sept. 8, in Denver.
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“I think there is a little bit of prejudice to that”, Rivera said of the lack of penalties. At each game, a team of independent medical personnel – including a certified athletic trainer watching from high above the field with the power to the stop the game – is charged with enforcing the NFL’s concussion protocol.
“I think it was a very physical game and we all have jobs to do”.
Denver topped Carolina, 21-20, on the night when the Broncos unveiled their Super Bowl 50 banner in the same end zone where Gano’s boot waned left. Newton found Kelvin Benjamin for a 16-yard gain that eventually set up the potential winning attempt for Gano.
“I try to warn the refs every time I do get hit in the head, but if the flag is not called, then it’s OK”, Newton said at a news conference after the game. Newton was punished by big hits, including a sack by Demarcus Ware in the third quarter that left Newton hobbling on the sideline.
An NFL spokesperson released a statement to multiple outlets Friday morning regarding whether proper concussion protocol took place.
It’s easier to understand why Carolina head coach Ron Rivera and the Panthers’ medical team didn’t pull Newton for evaluation – with him on the field they had a great chance to win; without him they had less chance.
“The thing that we didn’t do and needed to do better, we should have shut the run down and forced the guy to win the game”.
Newton, the NFL’s reigning MVP, was 18 of 33 for 194 yards, with one TD and one interception. They put on the gas in the 2nd half as they allowed them to get within 7 but the 1st half beating would be too much to come back from as Carolina won 31-24 they would head to the NFC Championship game they would face Carson Palmer and the Arizona Cardinals.
“It’s not my place to question the officials”, Newton said.
“It was just me being aggressive”.
“I feel (expletive), that’s what I do feel”, he said.
“If the league is going to be married to the concussion protocol, first of all, start it with the officials because they mandate behavior on the field”, Cecil Newton said. “He’s one of the toughest guys I’ve ever played with”, center Ryan Kalil said. I’m not going to fan the flames of race in this particular category, but I really sit back and ask myself, ‘Would this have happened to some of his other fellow colleagues?’ Let the public answer the question for themselves. “I’m sure they don’t want to start the season off like that”. Commissioner Roger Goodell and National Football League, help me understand how this can happen to the reigning MVP. Denver had cut the score down to just 3 points as the score would make it 17-14.
Early on in the game, it was clear that both the Broncos wanted to get after Cam Newton again, and that the Panthers were better prepared to protect their quarterback.
“We played awful in the first half”, Chris Harris said after the game.
Stewart said after the game he felt like he led with his shoulder, not his head.
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Broncos defenders throughout the locker room said Friday they take pride in their 1-0 record and don’t really care who is judging their style of play.
