Rivera: Kuechly placed in the NFL’s concussion protocol

He was always one of the faces of the National Football League, a tackling textbook of a star linebacker for the Carolina Panthers, with a calm demeanor, always steady, always in control.

Quarterback Cam Newton, 27, admitted it was like “grim reaper walking out there today” with all the injuries. “Sometimes you say a lot and people become critical”. Always knows where the play seems to be going, a secure tackler, would have had a TD on the blocked FG if not for a particular teammate, tipped passes and gets everyone in position for each play. Get better soon mang, we need you out there. The play sealed the score – a 23-20 victory for the Panthers – but really, it did even more.

“It is all very concerning guys, but I am not going to get into the speculation of this”.

Panthers quarterback Cam Newton threw for one touchdown, completing 14 of 33 passes for 192 yards without an interception.

For three quarters the Panthers dominated defensively. It’s tough. You just hope he’s OK. Carolina had just six first downs in the second half.

No NFL team has lost its first 15 games in a season and then won.

“It wasn’t pretty at all”, Panthers defensive end Charles Johnson said. Yeah, in between the lines we’re trying to battle, but it doesn’t matter what team you are.

Kuechly, the NFL defensive player of the year in 2013 and now the league leader with 102 tackles, was hurt while trying to make a stop in the fourth quarter of Carolina’s 23-20 win against the New Orleans Saints. Wil Lutz’s 38 yard field goal attempt was blocked and returned for an apparent Carolina touchdown by Luke Kuechly for 88 yards.

“We put ourselves in a hole, clearly in the first half with how we played”, coach Sean Payton said. But after instant replay officials overturned the ruling and gave Ginn a 40-yard touchdown catch. The Saints rank 31st in average yards per kickoff return, a number that Marcus Murphy didn’t help when he muffed a kick out of bounds at the 1-yard line Thursday.

The play happened late in the fourth quarter when Kuechly made a tackle.

“It’s all about execution”, Snead said. “And we’ve got to be smart enough in the game early to understand that the turnovers aren’t good”. “We just rallied behind him”.

Kuechly was injured in the fourth quarter of the Panthers’ win after colliding with running back Tim Hightower.

The Panthers defense is bringing the heat with 18 sacks in their last four games. Gano drilled a 49-yard field goal for a 13-3 lead. And earlier in the half, the team got the ball with about eight minutes remaining in the third quarter and almost needed the rest of the period to score a field goal. The Panthers recovered the ball.

Maybe there wasn’t reason to panic on Sunday, and there might not be reason to panic now since things remain tight in the standings and many teams are struggling.

Last week the Saints lost to Denver when a potential game-tying extra point was blocked and returned for a 2-point defensive conversion.

Center Ryan Kalil’s shoulder injury flared up and he exited the game in the second half.

The concussion problems likely explained Kuechly’s down year by his lofty standards in 2015. Those plays have to be substantially cleaner than the Saints have been this season, and especially the last two games. Then they close the season with games against the Rams, 49ers, Panthers and Saints.

To be fair, the Saints offense committed four turnovers against Denver, and two more against Carolina.