CHARLOTTE, NC — With Cam out, the Panthers will turn to a backup for Sunday’s game. Unlike Week 1 of the season, when Cam was recovering from fractured ribs, Ron Rivera did not wait until game day to announce his starting quarterback.
Cam Newton is out. Derek Anderson is in. D.A., as his teammates cal him, took reps with the first team Wednesday afternoon at practice, with Joe Webb as his back up. It’ll be Anderson’s second start of the season. He led the Cats to their Week 1 win over the Bucs–the same team he’ll face Sunday.
While he’s concerned about the health of his teammate, D.A. says he’ll be ready to go. “We’re all fired up about this weekend and the opportunity that we have. I think it’s going to take a city-wide effort to get the stadium rocking. Last week we played well, and looking to continue that,” he said.
“He’s a veteran quarterback,” said Head Coach Ron Rivera. “He’s been through this before. He understands. He’s had success as a quarterback in this league.”
“D.A. could play in a lot of cities. I’m sure a lot of teams right now would love to have D.A. in their locker room, and we appreciate him, everything he does on a weekly basis,” said fellow Panther Greg Olsen.
Of course, Greg Olsen and teammates also appreciate their franchise quarterback. As for Newton’s return, Rivera didn’t have a specific time table, calling it week to week.
