Panthers Six-Pack, ft. Cam's Plan and Kony's Wild Ride

The ruse — even though it wasn’t a very good one — lasted all the way past the time the first list of inactives were handed out Friday night. Guys like defensive end Charles Johnson and kicker Graham Gano were officially out, but quarterback Cam Newton still had a chance to play!

Well, technically.

The Panthers made the decision to sit their most-important player well before a second sheet of inactives — one that included Newton — was printed shortly before kickoff.

“There’s a plan that’s in place for me to get back,” Newton said after watching Friday night’s preseason opener from the sideline. “Do I want to be out there? Absolutely I do. That’s just the competitive person in me. But I have to be smart.”

Newton did get some work in on the field Friday. Two hours before the game, he ran through a number of routes with his receivers. And now, with more than a week before the Panthers’ next preseason game, it’s a good bet Newton will be allowed to test his surgically repaired ankle against the Chiefs.

“We are not overly concerned with it to be honest with you,” head coach Ron Rivera said. “There is a good opportunity for him to play this coming week.”

11 Panthers were listed as inactive:

QB Cam Newton (ankle)
RB Jonathan Stewart (hamstring)
WR De’Andre Presley (leg)
DE Charles Johnson (hamstring)
DE Craig Roh (ankle)
DE Linden Gaydosh (foot)
DT Drake Nevis (legs)
S Tre Boston (groin)
S Roman Harper (toe)
K Graham Gano (back)

Running back DeAngelo Williams warmed up in full pads, but he then reappeared before kickoff in street clothes. The coaching staff just wanted to give him some rest, especially with Stewart’s timeline still undecided.

Two Panthers suffered injuries during the game. Safety Robert Lester sprained a shoulder, and tight end Mike McNeill sprained his right knee.

To many, the offensive line appeared to be an issue throughout the night. To others, it wasn’t.

“We were very, very pleased with what we got from the offensive line,” Ron Rivera said. “I’d like to see us run block a little bit better, but they were very physical, very aggressive.”

In three series, the starting line did keep Derek Anderson clean, even though he had to scramble in order to turn a pair of third-downs into firsts.

The line likely won’t inspire much confidence for a while, and run blocking is a concern that hasn’t been talked about enough. It’s not just who’s playing tackle or guard, either. The Panthers don’t currently have a solid blocking tight end on the roster — a guy like Ben Hartsock — and they could really use one.

In the song, it’s December, but the preseason is once again the most-wonderful time of the year for Josh Norman.

The cornerback, who was eventually benched after dominant preseasons his first two years, had a big night Friday. He and safety Robert Lester led the team in tackles with six each, and Norman forced the only Bills’ turnover with a third-quarter end zone interception.

“I kind of closed my eyes. It was crazy,” Norman said. “I saw it, and once I saw it I couldn’t believe the ball was actually coming. It caught me by surprise, so as soon as I saw it; I just wanted to make a play.”

Defensive end Kony Ealy sure is riding the rookie roller coaster. Less than a week after he was taunted at the end of a spirited practice by Cam Newton and others, the Panthers’ second-round pick had an impressive night against the Bills.

“He showed why we drafted him,” Ron Rivera said. “It’s been a tough battle for him, just getting used to the way we do things. He came through for us today.”

Ealy was able to apply a decent amount of pressure a number of times, and he finished with three tackles.

Brandon Williams racked up seven touchdowns for Joliet Junior College in 2009. Then came a short stint at Oregon, and a period when it looked like he’d never play football again. Five years removed from his last score, the 26-year-old tight end finally made it back to the end zone.

Williams caught a 31-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Joe Webb late in the fourth quarter, completing another step in his incredible journey. Screen Shot 2014-08-09 at 5.54.45 AM

“I’ve been dreaming for this moment since I was a little kid, and it finally came,” a beaming Williams said.

The second-year player caught three passes for 50 yards, tying receiver Tavarres King who had 50 yards on four receptions.