A week before the Carolina Panthers host Monday Night Football, there's no telling if a national TV audience will see the reigning NFL MVP.
Quarterback Cam Newton is in the league's concussion protocol after taking a hard hit early in the fourth quarter of Sunday's loss to Atlanta. He spent part of his Monday morning meeting with trainers and doctors, but coach Ron Rivera admitted he has "no idea" if Newton will be out of the protocol in time to face the Bucs in Week Five.
"It really is tough to answer the question, guys," Rivera said. "I don't want to say something that'll go against what the trainers are saying or the doctors for that matter. So I just kind of wait and go from there."
Rivera was able to be more forthcoming about the hit that gave Newton his first documented concussion.
With the Panthers down 18, he slowed down on a two-point conversion run near the goal line. That's where he was met by Falcons rookie linebacker Deion Jones, whose helmet collided with Newton's. Because he wasn't defenseless and the hit was made with the side of the helmet, it wasn't illegal.
But was it unnecessary?
"It's easy to say, but he was right at the goal line. It's a judgment call," said Rivera, a former Bears linebacker. "If I was playing, I would've taken a shot.
"As a defensive player, you see the guy coming to the goal line, in your estimation, if he hasn't crossed it you're going to pull the trigger and I think that's what the young man did."
It's not a secret that Newton's taken the most hits of any quarterback since 2011. Many, like the one Sunday, have been fair. Others have been like the helmet-to-helmet shots he took against the Broncos. Believe it or not, the Panthers do try to limit his hits, but Newton is often his own worst enemy.
"I just think we try to do the best we can to protect him," Rivera said.
"That was a play where he had receivers out in routes and he elected to run it. That's who he is. He's not going to go quietly. He's going to fight and scratch and claw and because of it he gets exposed."
That was the same stupidity from the Saint’s game last year. He knows it and we know it, he deserved it for not plowing through the goal line like he’s supposed to. Full go until that whistle is blown. I hope he gets better and learns from this though. I hope the whole squad learns from the games so far this season. No swagger whatsoever coming from this team this year. It’s night and day compared to previous years.
Actually it wasn’t the same. He had already hit the goal line, he looked like he slowed up b/c he didn’t see dude who laid him out. No showboating like NO just more an “Oh [email protected] ” than anything else.
I always love what Ron has to say. I was a two-way player back in the Dark Ages. On offense, QB. On defense, I loved nothing more than knocking the pee out of a QB. We live for that. Get well soon, Cam. Meanwhile, Derek’s also pretty good at beating Tampa. The turnaround begins on Monday Night Football. Keep Pounding.