The Panthers almost got shut out by the Patriots in their third preseason game of 2019, losing on the road by a score of 10-3. Losing at this time of the year is never a big deal. However, having your starting quarterback get injured in an ultimately meaningless exhibition game definitely is.
Here are three takeaways from another sad example of why preseason football needs to go away and never come back.
Cam Newton is in a walking boot
That deafening silence you’re hearing? That would be the collective breath of Carolina’s fan-base being held as it waits to hear just how serious Cam Newton’s foot injury is. The franchise QB took a vintage pounding in the first quarter, getting hurried several times and sacked twice.
The second one knocked him out of the game as it appeared the tackle affected his left ankle. It’s possible head coach Ron Rivera was just being understandably cautious with Newton, but there’s also a chance it could be significant.
Rivera told reporters after the game that Newton is in a walking boot.
With Newton off of the field, we saw more of the same nonsense from Kyle Allen and Will Grier, minus the gruesome interceptions. For some reason, Taylor Heinicke didn’t even get on the field.
Rookie offensive lineman Greg Little was also carted off at one point, but he did tell Rivera he’s feeling fine afterwards.
Update:
The official diagnosis for Cam is a mid-foot sprain. GM Marty Hurney says the Panthers are cautiously optimistic about him playing Week 1.
Bill Belichick sent a message
One calendar year and eight billion Twitter news cycles ago, the Panthers actually spanked the Patriots in their 2018 preseason meeting. After the game, coach Bill Belichick commended Carolina for outplaying them in all three phases.
In retrospect, this kind of rematch was probably inevitable, even if it is only the preseason. Belichick completely shut down what little game planning Norv Turner brought to the table and sent a message that nobody can suffocate an offense quite like he can.
This was an embarrassment. New England totally stopped the run game, limiting the Panthers to just three yards per carry. They were also able to shut down the passing attack with a lethal combination of relentless pressure and tight pass coverage. Carolina finished with an anemic 48 passing yards and just 99 total for the game.
This is Belichick’s world and the rest of the NFL is just living in it.
Brian Burns has unlimited potential
Finally, we will try to close out with a silver lining. If nothing else this team is going to get a lot of pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Some of them will turn into hurries and hits. There should also be plenty of sacks to go round. Carolina got five in tonight’s game, all coming against rookie QB Jarrett Stidham. Brian Burns had two of them and forced a fumble.
Again, it’s only been a couple of pointless preseason games, but Burns appears to have almost unlimited potential. We could be witnessing the arrival of a very special defender.
