Kuechly out, Jonathan Stewart probable for Panthers

Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly is out for Sunday’s game, his third in a row sitting while recovering from a head injury. Kuechly wasn’t even on the field.

Rivera was hopeful Monday that Kuechly would be cleared to return after a scheduled meeting with an independent neurologist Tuesday.

He’s in his contract year with the Panthers and setting himself up for a huge pay day next February when he becomes an unrestricted free agent.

“If there had been something like that, that (new) probably would’ve been out”, Rivera said. He’s his safety net [when plays go awry].

“I’m not going to get into this part of it anymore”.

Rookie Donovan Smith, the Buccaneers’ starting left tackle, is also questionable for the game due to a knee injury suffered last Sunday in Houston. Panthers lead series, 18-11.

Such defensive dominance – Carolina is no. 4 in unweighted defensive DVOA – is a continuation of last season’s unexpected surge to the playoffs.

“That would be a bad first impression, wouldn’t it?” he asked with a laugh. He’s played a few pretty good football over the years, as well. But through three games in the Bears’ new 3-4 defense, he had none.

Winston said the most important thing he’s learned from Newton is “just be yourself”.

While Baltimore falls to the bottom of the AFC North, the Bengals remain at the top of the division with a 3-0 record. It was more about a 12-year veteran struggling to fit into a new position. “I’m an optimistic guy. I’ll be flawless for the game”. That’s no sure thing. It’s a low-risk move for Carolina, which gave Chicago a conditional sixth-round pick, owes Allen only $823,000 this season, and can cut him without financial penalty before a massive $8.5 million base salary is owed in 2016.

The passing matchup will be very interesting to watch. “They’re towers, man. You’ve got to guard them somehow”. And he wasn’t the only former teammate to chime in. “We’ve basically been through the same thing”, the Tampa Bay rookie said.

Hochuli, one of the NFL’s best-known referees, has told numerous people within the league that he adamantly denies saying what Newton claims he said. “That’s how you have to look at it. No matter what happened a week ago, you have an opportunity to make up for it the upcoming week”. Add it all up, and Newton’s Total QBR comes in at 60.7, 13th in the league. Statistics say Cam gets hit more than any other quarterback.

Newton said rhetorically on Wednesday. “He’s just a great person for me to look up to and kind of model my style off (of)”. Yeah, because I do a lot of running. “That’s just where I feel comfortable”.

Panthers quarterback Cam Newton missed both games against Tampa Bay last season – and the Bucs still managed to lose.

Carolina is off to their best start since the 2003 season when the franchise made its only appearance at the Super Bowl.

QUOTE TO NOTE: “134 sacks is a lot of sacks”. The pro quarterback, who’s known by the nickname of Superman on the field, describes the upcoming series as “a platform to show kids that they don’t necessarily have to be an athlete to bring out the superhero inside”. – DE Mario Addison on new DE Jared Allen.

Norman, 27, was excused from practice Thursday for what coach Ron Rivera deemed a “personal day”.

-LB Thomas Davis (chest) was limited Wednesday. Norman, who’s playing for a contract extension, certainly helped his case for a long-term extension on Sunday.

The glaring issue with the Bucs is that they are giving up a mass of rushing yards.

So if there is anyone who knows what it’s like to be Jameis Winston, it’s the Panthers’ Cam Newton. The Buccaneers are a divisional game for the Panthers, but that was not always so.