Some were ready to mail Carolina’s season in after the Panthers suffered back to back home losses and Cam Newton was ruled out of Sunday’s game with a lingering foot injury. But none of those people were in the Panthers locker room. After what Coach Rivera and players said was a good week of practice, the Panthers came out and played their most complete game so far this year, defeating the Cardinals 38-20.
All eyes were on Kyle Allen, as questions lingered about whether the second year QB was talented enough to lead the team to victory. But the guy Coach Rivera and players described as confident all week, did that and more – completing 19 of 26 passes for 261 yards and 4 touchdowns.
“For me, it’s just football,” Allen said after the victory. “I kept telling myself this: have a plan when you come to the line of scrimmage every play and don’t make it more difficult than it needs to be. One play at a time.”
And Allen, some times methodically; some times explosively, did just that.
“He’s real confident in who he is as a football player,” Ron Rivera said when asked about Allen’s cool demeanor. “He was a very heralded player coming into college. He had a good college career. I think he’s confident that he has that kind of ability. He’s got a lot of swag and he’s been able to back it up.”
“He’s got a good way about him,” Greg Olsen said. “One of the first things you notice about him is he gets in there, he’s very under control and he’s very relaxed. He’s got a good demeanor about him, good or bad. On the first drive we started good and then it ends bad, but you would have thought we scored a touchdown. He’s got a great disposition and he had a great day.”
Cam Newton’s status for next week’s game in Houston is still up in the air, but when asked about the possibility of starting again, Allen gave an answer just a calm and cool as his play.
“If it is that way, it is that way. It’s just another game, another opponent and a good opponent.”