Quarterback Cam Newton had a 90+ passer rating for the second straight week, but the Panthers aren’t going to win many games with no rushing attack and a suddenly leaky defense.

Newton and receiver Kelvin Benjamin had their first touchdown connection, and Benjamin came within centimeters of scoring a second in the third quarter.

Newton also threw two perfect passes to receiver Jerricho Cotchery, who finished with five receptions.

Tight end Greg Olsen had a quiet game by his recent standards, catching two of his five targets for 30 yards.

Tight end Ed Dickson was again shutout. His lone target remains an incompletion in Week 2.

It took the Panthers less than one quarter to match their total of 10 rushes against the Steelers. But more injuries and a non-running Newton again made Carolina one-dimensional.

Running back DeAngelo Williams, who missed the last two games with a hamstring injury, twisted his ankle in the second quarter. Before he left, he gained 34 yards on 11 carries.

No. 2 back Jonathan Stewart was inactive with a sprained knee, which made undrafted rookie Darrin Reaves the next man up. He had 12 carries for 26 yards.

Tauren Poole, who was promoted to the active roster Saturday after he was signed to the practice squad this week, fumbled his only carry.

Newton tied a career low (set last week) with just two attempts.

The Panthers averaged 2.6 yards per carry (26 attempts, 67 yards). It’s the third straight week they’ve failed to rush for 100 yards. The last time they went through such a stretch was in 2006.

Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco, who was 22-for-31 for 327 yards and three touchdowns, set a franchise record with a 137.4 passer rating.

Receiver Steve Smith caught seven passes for 139 yards and two touchdowns. The former Panthers wideout hadn’t had a game with that many yards or scores since 2011.

Cornerback Melvin White, who gave up Smith’s second touchdown while also interfering with him, was benched in favor of Josh Norman.

The Panthers have given up nearly 400 rushing yards in two weeks.

The Ravens, who were without starter Bernard Pierce, picked up 127 yards seven days after the Steelers ran for 264. Running backs Justin Forsett and Lorenzo Taliaferro averaged 4.27 yards per carry.

The recent key to the Panthers strong defense was an ability to make teams one-dimensional. Last week could have been an aberration, but two straight games is … ?

Graham Gano made his only field goal attempt, a 37-yarder in the third quarter.

Brad Nortman averaged 48.5 yards on four punts, with a long of 58.

Philly Brown didn’t drop anything, but he also didn’t have many opportunities to do anything. He let the Ravens’ long punt bounce inside the 5-yard line, and his only kickoff return went for 23 yards.

For the second straight week, the Panthers made an inexcusable mistake on special teams. After the defense forced a three-and-out at the start of the third quarter — the first time they had done it all game — 12 men were on the field for the Ravens’ punt. The penalty gave them a first down, and eight plays later, receiver Torrey Smith’s touchdown made it 28-7.

Ron Rivera did a commendable job in the first couple weeks of the season getting his team to win despite a whole bunch of stuff swirling around them. But it’s all fallen apart in the last two games.

The defense suddenly can’t stop anyone; Newton is just a throwing quarterback; the offensive line is struggling like many expected; the rushing attack is nonexistent; and so is the number of healthy backs.

Offensive coordinator Mike Shula can only work with what he has, but his apparent decision to handoff to Reaves on 3rd-and-7 in the first quarter was way too conservative.

Defensive coordinator Sean McDermott doesn’t get a lot of sleep when his unit is good. He may not sleep a wink this week.