It seems like the streak of Cam Newton opening the game for the Panthers is coming to an end. Newton opened all five of the past Carolina Panthers games. But the head coach Matt Rhule has different plans for Week 17. On Sunday, January 2, 2022, the Panthers will face the New Orleans Saints.
The Week 16 game against Tampa Bay Buccaneers was a disaster for the Panthers. They lost 6-32. With that recent loss, the Panthers added one more game to their own streak. Carolina is on a 5-game losing streak. The last time they won a match was in Week 10. The HC has decided to start with QB Sam Darnold in Week 17.
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Cam Newton with the Panthers
The Carolina Panthers signed Cam Newton to the squad in Week 9. They brought in Newton to replace their QB1 Sam Darnold. Darnold suffered a fractured scapula which sidelined him for a long time.
Panthers’ HC Matt Rhule named Sam Darnold as the starting QB for Sunday’s game against the Saints.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 29, 2021
The first game Newton played with the Panthers was in week 10. The Panthers managed to defeat the Arizona Cardinals with a score of 34-10. In the match, Cam Newton scored two touchdowns with just over nine snaps. The win made the Panthers’ record 5-5.
Unfortunately for Newton, this was the height of his success in Carolina. He started every game after Week 10, and the Panthers have lost all of them. Carolina was desperate because Sam Darnold was still recovering from the fracture. They had no other choice except Cam Newton. The five-game starting streak is also a five-game losing streak for Newton.
Sam Darnold returns for the Panthers
Sam Darnold was cleared to play in Week 16. It was not the return he expected because Carolina lost terribly against Tampa bay. Darnold did not start the game, but he was a big part of it. He was sacked four times. But Sam completed 15 of his 32 passes for 190 yards.
Darnold was not the best on the field that night, but the head coach, Matt Rhule, does not have many options. Cam Newton hasn’t been great for them either. As if right now, Sam Darnold is their best choice. Let us see how the Carolina Panthers hold up against the New Orleans Saints. The game is one of the first NFL matches of 2022. It is sure to be exciting.
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