This cat might be done playing in Carolina
Panthers’ Newton placed on IR; future with club in doubt
No black cat sightings were reported around the NFL Tuesday — the day after one apparently jinxed the New York Giants — but there was bad news for a couple of quarterbacks employed by feline-faced teams.
Let’s start in Carolina, where the Panthers placed Cam Newton on injured reserve. While Newton could return in January and reclaim the reins, it would be his first action since Week 2 and would mean he’d be taking over an offence steered into the playoffs by 23-year-old Kyle Allen.
It is much more likely the flamboyant veteran of nine seasons — who has one year and a non-guaranteed US$19.1 million left on his contact — has played his last game for the Panthers.
Provided he’s healthy, there should be plenty of interest in Newton, who turns 31 in May. About now, the Chicago Bears are probably wondering where the line forms.
Meanwhile, also over is Minshew Mania, at least for the time being. Jaguars coach Doug Marrone announced Nick Foles will be the starting QB when his team returns from its Week 10 break. No surprise there. The 30-year old former Super Bowl hero signed a contract worth between $88 million and $102 million in Jacksonville in March, which included $50.1 million guaranteed, and he played just one quarter before breaking his collarbone.
Foles’ replacement, Gardner Minshew, was doing a fine job keeping the Jags’ playoff hopes alive until he became a turnover machine in Sunday’s 26-3 loss to the Texans.
“Nick will be our starting quarterback going forward,” Marrone told reporters, while stressing it wasn’t a quick decision. “I think that’s going to give us a better chance of winning right now.”
In inking his first and likely last deal as a backup, Minshew received a bonus of $48,000 and a $495,000 salary.
About now, the Bears would probably be happy to make him a rich man.
CALL IT WHAT YOU WILL: The New York Post identified it as “Kitty Litter.” The headline in the Daily News blared: “Cowboys, stray cat, have no trouble finding end zone as Giants drop 5th straight.” Demarcus Lawrence dubbed it fate. The Giants led Dallas 9-3 with five minutes left in the first half Monday when the game was interrupted by a lost four-legged furball. After it finally found the exit sign, the Giants were outscored 34-9 the rest of the way. “It just turned on them,” Lawrence, the exceptional Cowboys rush end, told reporters of the Giants’ luck. “I was like, man, the game’s over.
If a black cat runs on the damn field on Monday Night Football, a black cat, you might as well call it quits, bro. Y’all luck is terrible.” JUST LIKE LAMAR: To hand the seemingly invincible Patriots their first loss, the Ravens used an effective run-pass option. The Bears need to do the same to save the career of Mitchell Trubisky. He is not as fast or as athletic as Baltimore QB Lamar Jackson, but Trubisky is the same size (three pounds heavier, to be precise) and he is mobile. But through seven games this season, Trubisky has carried the ball just 11 times for 46 yards. That’s just wrong. Matt Nagy is probably trying to protect his QB’s previously injured shoulder by not calling for him to run, but at this rate that decision is going to cost both of them their jobs.
THE HUNT IS ON: Unless they run the table, the Browns will extend their league-high stretch of futility by missing the playoffs for the 17th straight year. What should be interesting to watch in Cleveland, however, is what kind of an impact running back Kareem Hunt has on a 19th-ranked offence that was expected to be much better. The 24-year-old Hunt will return from an eightgame suspension this weekend when the Browns play host to the Buffalo Bills and coach Freddie Kitchens says he will have a role in the offence.