[vc_row_inner no_margin=”true” padding_top=”0px” padding_bottom=”0px” border=”none”][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html]When Panthers head coach Ron Rivera walked up to the podium at Bank of America Stadium on Tuesday for his post-Eagles question-and-answer session, he started talking before taking any questions.”No, he’s not injured,” Rivera told reporters.’He’ is quarterback Cam Newton, who according to a Fox Sports report, has a right foot injury caused by overcompensation from the lingering soreness in his surgically repaired left ankle.But Rivera made a point to refute the report. He claimed Newton is not dealing with anything other than some occasional soreness in his left ankle, or in the ribs he cracked during the preseason.”I have no idea where (the FOX Sports report) came from,” Rivera said.“I’m taking (Newton) for his word. He told you guys last night he’s fine. The doctors have nothing on it. The trainers have nothing on it.”But to most who have watched Newton struggle the last few weeks, it appears he is not the same player he was his first three seasons. He looked especially less dynamic Monday night. Guys like Eagles linebacker Connor Barwin, who Newton would previously have run past, were instead able to chase him down.When asked if the current Newton is as elusive as the player the Panthers had before this season, Rivera quickly answered, “Yeah. When he decides to run and go, absolutely. Absolutely.”Even though they were getting blown out, and he was in the process of getting sacked a career-high nine times, the Panthers curiously let Newton finish the game. Rivera said it was to help the offense establish a rhythm they have been missing during a losing streak that has now reached four games.Newton and receiver Kelvin Benjamin did connect for two 4th-quarter touchdowns, but keeping Newton in while the Eagles were teeing off on him was a risky chance to take with the franchise’s most-important player. And those fears seemed perfectly reasonable even before the FOX Sports report.“Yes, because, again, I’m under the assumption that he’s fine on the field,” Rivera said, when pressed about leaving Newton in so the offense could try to get something positive going.”Talking to the trainers, talking to the doctors, there was nothing. And talking to him, there was nothing.”So Rivera, Newton and team trainers and doctors all say there is nothing to see here. But if this is who Newton is now, then the Panthers may not have a whole lot to look forward to in the immediate future.