Newton’s lone preseason start short, but effective
JACKSONVILLE, FLA.» Panthers quarterback Cam Newton was perfect in his preseason debut.
Seeing live action for the first time since last season’s finale, Newton completed both of his passes for 21 yards and a touchdown in Carolina’s 24-23 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday night.
Newton’s 9-yard slant pass to Kelvin Benjamin capped a 10-play opening drive that showed Panthers coach Ron Rivera all he needed to see from his star quarterback. Newton spent the rest of the night watching from the sideline.
The 2015 league MVP had surgery in March to repair a partially torn rotator cuff in his right, throwing shoulder. Newton participated in the first five practices of training camp before developing soreness and backing off for nearly two weeks.
He amped up his workload this week in preparation for the team’s third exhibition, most likely the only action he’ll get in the preseason.
Rookie halfback Christian McCaffrey caught a 12-yard pass from Newton and added 21 yards rushing on seven carries.
The Jaguars, meanwhile, may continue their quarterback competition.
Chad Henne got the start over Blake Bortles and had an up-anddown night. Henne completed 8of-14 passes for 73 yards.
Bortles was 12-of-16 passing for 125 yards, highlighted by a 4-yard touchdown pass to Shane Wynn in the fourth quarter. Bortles also threw an interception that was returned 48 yards and set up a touchdown in the third.
Kramer, Brazile senior HOF finalists. CANTON, OHIO» Robert Brazile and Jerry Kramer were picked as the senior finalists for the 2018 Pro Football Hall of Fame.
A senior nominee must have completed his career at least 25 years ago and will need at least 80 percent of the vote by the Hall of Fame selection committee when it meets during Super Bowl week in Minneapolis to be elected.
Brazile went to seven Pro Bowls and was a member of the NFL’s alldecade team of the 1970s as a linebacker with the Houston Oilers.
Kramer helped Green Bay win five NFL championships and the first two Super Bowls, and the guard was voted to both the 1960s all-decade team and the NFL’s 50th Anniversary team in 1969.
New stadium already in repair.
Crews are repairing exterior panels on U.S. Bank Stadium as the Minnesota Vikings prepare for their second season in the facility.
The $1.1 billion stadium in downtown Minneapolis was completed more than a year ago, but workers are still fixing panels in about half a dozen spots.
The durability of the panels has long been a concern. Panels came loose during storms in July 2016 and last March. Earlier this year, water seeped through and created puddles in various places.
Finance & Commerce reports that about 10 percent of zinc panels covering the outside of the stadium are being repaired. The work is expected to wrap up next month.
Long, Jenkins, lead Eagles unity
protest. PHILADELPHIA» Chris Long, the Philadelphia defensive end who grew up in Charlottesville, Virginia, put his arm around teammate Malcolm Jenkins as a show of unity during the national anthem for the second straight week.
Jenkins stood with his right fist raised in the air as he’s done since last season. He was surrounded by Long, who is white, and Rodney McLeod and Najee Goode. Ron Brooks took a knee behind them.
Jenkins has been outspoken against racial injustice and has worked with law enforcement to try to better the situation.
Long, who starred in Charlottesville in high school at St. Anne’s-Belfield and went to the University of Virginia, was critical of white nationalists and the violence in his hometown two weeks ago.
In the preseason game against the Dolphins, starting quarterbacks Carson Wentz and Jay Cutler look ready for the regular season.
Wentz tossed touchdown passes to both of his new receivers — a 50-yarder to Torrey Smith and a 15-yarder to Alshon Jeffery — and Mychal Kendricks returned an interception 31 yards for a score as the Eagles won 38-31.
Playing his second game since coming out of retirement to replace injured Dolphins starter Ryan Tannehill, Cutler was 5-of-8 for 105 yards and one TD, a 72yard pass to DeVante Parker.
Footnotes.
Texans receiver Jaelen Strong was suspended without pay for the team’s season opener for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. … Former Packers running back Ahman Green has pleaded not guilty to child abuse charges in Green Bay, Wis. The 40-year-old Green is accused of striking his teenage daughter in the head in a dispute over household chores in June.