Newton sidelined by concussion in loss
Panthers quarterback Cam Newton suffered a concussion early in the fourth quarter and wasn’t allowed to return in the Panthers’ 48-33 road loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.
Newton’s day ended after he ran for a two-point conversion that cut Atlanta’s lead to 34-18. Falcons linebacker Deion Jones laid a clean hit on the QB near the goal line.
Coach Ron Rivera said he wasn’t sure if Newton could’ve avoided the hit, which came after the QB pulled up in front of Jones in an apparent attempt to showboat: “I’m going to watch the tape, and then I’ll see exactly how it happens.”
Derek Anderson, who took Newton’s place, saw his teammate in the locker room after the game and said he looked “all right.”
Newton, the 2015 NFL MVP, took four helmet-to-helmet shots in Carolina’s opening loss at Denver three weeks ago. Only one of the hits resulted in a penalty. Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall and safety Darian Stewart were fined for the hits. Newton took a similar shot last December at New Orleans on a showboating play. He passed a concussion test in that game and returned to help the Panthers stay unbeaten.
For the Falcons, QB Matt Ryan threw for a team-record 503 yards and four touchdowns, while Julio Jones caught 12 passes for 300 yards — the first 500-300 combo in NFL history.
RAIDERS 28, RAVENS 27: Derek Carr threw four touchdown passes, three to Michael Crabtree, who finished with seven catches for 88 yards to help Oakland record its third road win.
JAGUARS 30, COLTS 27: Blake Bortles threw for two TDs and ran for another as Jacksonville held off a furious Indianapolis rally for the Jaguars’ first win of the season before an announced crowd of 83,864 at London’s Wembley Stadium. Colts QB Andrew Luck was sacked six times.
SEAHAWKS 27, JETS 17: Russell Wilson, playing with a sprained knee, threw three TD passes and racked up 309 yards while wearing a brace, helping the Seahawks win at MetLife Stadium for the first time since the
2014 Super Bowl. Richard Sherman had two interceptions and Earl Thomas another as QB Ryan Fitzpatrick and the Jets couldn’t get much going against the NFL’s No. 1-ranked defence. REDSKINS 31, BROWNS 20: Kirk Cousins threw three TD passes, including two to tight end Jordan Reed, and Washington cashed in on several trips to the red zone on home turf. TEXANS 27, TITANS 20: Houston’s Will Fuller scored the winning points with a 67-yard punt return for a touchdown in the Texans’ first game without star defensive end J.J. Watt, out for the season after back surgery.
BEARS 17, LIONS 14: Brian Hoyer threw for 302 yards and two touchdowns, and the Bears snapped a sixgame home losing skid as well as a six-game slide head-to-head against Detroit. Eddie Royal caught seven passes for 111 yards and a touchdown, while rookie Jordan Howard rushed for the same number of yards.
SAINTS 35, CHARGERS 34: Drew Brees threw two TD passes in the final five minutes, rallying the Saints to a stunning road victory against Philip Rivers and the Chargers, who blew a 13-point lead by committing two crucial turnovers. RAMS17, CARDINALS13: Tavon Austin returned a punt 47 yards to set up Case Keenum’s four-yard touchdown pass to Brian Quick with 2:41to play, and the relocated Rams improved to 3-1 for the first time in a decade. COWBOYS 24, 49ERS 17: Ezekiel Elliott ran for 138 yards and a touchdown and Dak Prescott threw for two scores as the Cowboys overcame an early 14-point deficit. The 3-1 Cowboys dug a 14-point hole early in the second quarter before taking over the game behind a pair of rookies who have helped the team get off to a fast start with starting quarterback Tony Romo sidelined by a back injury.