Rivera isn’t worried about Newton’s woes
Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera isn’t the least bit concerned about Cam Newton’s sudden dip in production.
He believes most of it is not his quarterback’s fault.
The 2015 NFL Most Valuable Player has completed just 57 percent of his passes for 450 yards with five interceptions and one touchdown in losses to the Bears and Eagles.
That’s a dramatic dip from Newton completing 77 percent of his passes for 671 yards with six touchdowns and one interception in Carolina’s previous road wins over the Patriots and Lions.
Rivera is quick to point out that Carolina’s recent turnover problems and offensive struggles can’t be pinned solely on Newton.
Steelers bench Bryant after criticism
The Pittsburgh Steelers have no plans to trade wide receiver Martavis Bryant. They also apparently don’t have any plans to play him either. At least not in Detroit.
Bryant indicated he’ll be inactive when the first-place Steelers visit the Lions on Sunday night, the fallout from a social media outburst in which the wide receiver made it clear he’s unhappy with his role in the offense.
“I’m fine,” Bryant said Wednesday. “I ain’t tripping.”
Passionately defiant at times, Bryant insisted he meant no ill will when he suggested he was better than rookie teammate JuJu Smith-Schuster during an Instagram comment shortly after Pittsburgh beat Cincinnati last weekend. Bryant deleted his initial response and replaced it with one in which he wrote he wanted to be on a team where he could “gets mine.”
Given a few days to cool off, Bryant instead doubled down, even though coach Mike Tomlin called Bryant’s comments “out of bounds.”
“I feel like I’m better than every receiver or any receiver I played with,” Bryant said.
Chargers trade Inman to Chicago Bears
A source with knowledge of the deal says the Los Angeles Chargers have agreed to trade receiver Dontrelle Inman to the Chicago Bears for a seventh-round pick.
The source spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Wednesday because the paperwork on the trade was still being completed.
Inman has spent four seasons with the Chargers, catching 107 passes for 1,463 yards and seven touchdowns. He played every game last season in San Diego.