2019 ScheduleAll times ET

2019 Schedule
0-2, 4th in NFC South
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2dDavid Newton

Newton on loss: All fingers 'pointing back to me'

Panthers quarterback Cam Newton attributed Thursday night's loss to the Bucs to a lack of execution by the offense, saying, "All fingers are just pointing back to me specifically."

David Newton ESPN Staff Writer 

Panthers quarterback Cam Newton on what went wrong: ‘'A lack of execution offensively. ... all fingers can point back to me specifically.''

Woody: Cam doesn't look healthy (1:39)

David Newton ESPN Staff Writer 

Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly was a part of the 2013 team that started 0-2 and 1-3 before rallying to a 12-4 record. He said after this 0-2 start ‘'the sky is not falling.''

David Newton ESPN Staff Writer 

Panthers tight end Greg Olsen says he doesn't know why the offense is struggling so much. ‘'it's just bad ball, man,'' Saïd Olsen, who received a bloody nose in the game.

3d

Bucs use goal-line stand to beat Panthers 20-14

Jameis Winston threw for 208 yards and a touchdown, Tampa Bay held Cam Newton in check and came up with a late goal-line stand and the Buccaneers beat the Carolina Panthers 20-14 early Friday to give coach Bruce Arians his first victory with the team.

David Newton ESPN Staff Writer 

Cam Newton has had two designed runs tonight. One the first he slipped on fourth-and-1 and came up short of the first down. On this last one he fumbles. He officially has no rush yards on two carries a week after having minus-2 on three carries. With him not a threat in the run game, Christian McCaffrey becomes easier to defend.

David Newton ESPN Staff Writer 

Greg Olsen said he was ready to re-assume his position as an elite tight end. The Panthers' three-time Pro Bowler, who showed up on the injury report with back issue this week, has 104 yards receiving on five catches. It's his 100-yard receiving game since Week 15 of 2017 and only his second in the last three seasons. He's open in part because the Bucs are ganging up on Christian McCaffrey and Cam Newton.

David Newton ESPN Staff Writer 

Slow starts are killing the Panthers. For the second straight week they failed to score a touchdown in the first half, trailing Tampa Bay 10-9 in this one. And they needed a 54-yard field goal by unknown Joey Slye on the final play to get within one. The lightning delay was more exciting than Cam Newton and the offense. Newton did manage a completion longer than 17 yards – a 44-yarder to Curtis Samuel. But Christian McCaffrey, a week after rushing for 128 yards and catching 10 passes for 81 yards, was almost non-existent with 30 yards rushing and one catch for six yards. That has to change or this could be a season on the brink.

David Newton ESPN Staff Writer 

The Panthers picked up Ray-Ray McCloud off waivers before the start of the season for his punt return abilities. Even after he muffed two earlier they stuck with him. His 37-yard return that he came close to taking to the house is why. He's a dynamic returner and the team doesn't have to expose stars DJ Moore, Curtis Samuel or Christian McCaffrey as return specialists.

David Newton ESPN Staff Writer 

Cam Newton said the deep ball remained his his arsenal and seemed to take it personal with all the questions after he didn't have a completion of more than 17 yards in the opener. He proved the deep ball is there with a 44-yard completion to Curtis Samuel. A tad under thrown, but still good to loosen up the Bucs' defense. The ball actually traveled 38 in the air, the most for Newton since Week 17 of 2017 when he completed a pass to Devin Funchess thrown 42 air yards.

David Newton ESPN Staff Writer 

Ron Rivera knows the importance of this game, which is why he went for it on fourth-and-1 on the Tampa Bay 47 so early in the game. Cam Newton knows the importance, which is why he called his own number a week after rushing three times for a career-low minus-2 yards. Mother Nature won this one. Newton slips and now both teams headed to the locker room with lightning in the area. Rivera likes the way his defense is playing, so that probably figured into his decision.

David Newton ESPN Staff Writer 

Not a good sign for 2016 first-round draft pick Vernon Butler to be inactive for the second straight week. It made sense against the Rams because the Panthers used fewer defensive tackles with an unusual odd-man front. The expectation is Carolina will play more 3-4 fronts against Tampa Bay, so being a healthy scratch in a contract year raises red flags.

David Newton ESPN Staff Writer 

Panthers' inactives: DB Rashaan Gaulden, OLB Bruce Irvin, OT Greg Little, DT Vernon Butler, QB Will Grier, WR Brandon Zylstra, OL Brandon Greene.

David Newton ESPN Staff Writer 

Panthers quarterback Cam Newton honors those that lost lives in the tragedy that occurred on Sept. 11 18 years go with ‘'Never Forget'' on his warmup cleats.

David Newton ESPN Staff Writer 

Talk about breaking a record fast: Christian McCaffrey needs only 23 yards tonight to break DeAngelo Williams' record for receiving yards by a Panthers' running back. McCaffrey has 1,599 receiving yards in 33 games. It took Williams 117 games to set the record. Truly is amazing how dynamic McCaffrey has been.

David Newton ESPN Staff Writer 

It's going to be a hot one at Bank of America Stadium. According to AccuWeather, the temperature in Charlotte near kickoff for the Panthers-Bucs will be 87°. The last time a prime-time game played in an outdoor stadium had a kickoff temperature of at least 85° was in Week 1 of the 2016 season when the Broncos hosted the Panthers in the Thursday season opener. The temperature that day was 85°.

Stephen A.: Newton is third-best QB in NFC South (1:48)

David Newton ESPN Staff Writer 

Panthers defensive linemen Gerald McCoy says too much is being made of him playing his former team, Tampa Bay, on Thursday night at Bank of America Stadium. ‘'The only thing that makes this game big is I know exactly what they're good at and what they're not good at,'' the six-time Pro Bowl selection said.

David Newton ESPN Staff Writer 

The Panthers have ruled OLB Bruce Irvin (hamstring) out for Thursday night's game against Tampa Bay. Pro Bowl tight end Greg Olsen (back) is listed as questionable although Olsen said on Tuesday he should be good to go.

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Team Stats

Passing Yards264.516th
Rushing Yards83.022nd
Points For20.520th
Points Against25.017th