Norman goes up against old mates on MNF

Carolina to visit Washington, star ex-corner

Never mind the Josh Norman reunion.

If the Washington Redskins can’t knock off Carolina on Monday night, they’ll join the Panthers in playing out the string.

The Redskins (7-5-1) hope to snag one of two NFC wildcard berths. To do so, they’ll probably have to win out. The New York Giants (10-4), Atlanta Falcons (8-5) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-5) are ahead of Washington in that race, although one of the latter two will earn a ticket to the post-season as NFC South champion.

Both the Redskins and Panthers made the playoffs a year ago, the former as NFC East champs, the latter as NFC South champs.

Carolina (5-8) will miss the post-season for the first time in three years. Despite cruising to a 15-1 record and NFC championship last season, they’ve been struggling since dropping their Super Bowl 50 rematch in the opener at Denver.

A huge roster hole the Panthers never were able to fill was all-pro cornerback Josh Norman. At first the Panthers franchise-tagged him, when negotiations for a long-term contract inched along. But in the spring, when Carolina general manager Dave Gettleman became convinced the two sides would never come to an agreement, he rescinded the tag and set Norman free.

Washington quickly scooped him up. Carolina’s secondary has struggled all this season with raw, inexperienced or just plain bad cornerbacks, weakening what had been one of the NFL’s premier defences.

The Redskins’ defence, in contrast, improved overnight.

Asked about Norman this week, Panthers head coach Ron Rivera spoke glowingly about his former star.

“First of all, Josh is a good person,” Rivera said. “He’s got a terrific heart, he really has. Secondly, he has always been flamboyant. Third, he is stubborn, hard-headed, but he listens. He learned and he grew, and you saw his development.

“And, again, things happen and unfortunately he is not here. But he is a solid football player and, as I said, a much better person.”

Norman no doubt hopes to be assigned to cover Carolina’s top receiver, Kelvin Benjamin, most of the time. He said he hopes Panthers quarterback Cam Newton doesn’t do what most teams this season have done: avoid throwing to his side of the field most of the time.

Norman and Newton remain tight friends. Norman said he wants Newton to challenge him Monday night. But will he?

“I hope so,” Norman said.

Josh Norman