The Carolina Panthers may not have QB Cam Newton on the Field against the Tampa Bay Bucks on Monday, due to concussion like symptoms. Throughout the week, trainers and the organization have been concerned about the health of Newton, after taking a helmet to helmet hit during the loss to the Falcons. He seemed a little out of it and he has not been declared to play, as of yet.
We are not forcing players to get onto the football field,” Rivera said Thursday. “We will do exactly as the protocol tells us and what the doctors and experts tell us.”“I’m going to listen to exactly what I’m told,” Rivera said. “That’s the thing I want everybody to understand. I’m going to do exactly what the doctors, the professionals, the people that study this, tell me. Then I’m going to look to the young man. I’m going to treat him exactly like I treated Luke Kuechly (last season).” Coach Rivera received a lot of criticism when he allowed Kuechly to stay in the game, despite concussion like symptoms.
The Panthers are 1-3 and desperately needs some type of positive confidence to get their juices flowing. The Panthers’ defense was torched last week against the Falcons. They had given up 300 yards to Julio Jones in an astonishing defeat. Matt Ryan also threw for over 500 yards. The Panther’s defense is not the same as last year and it has hurt them this season. 
Without Newton, the Panthers will have to count on Derek Anderson and the simplicity of the offense. Anderson’s last start was in 2014 against the Bucs, in which he pulled out a victory against them. Both teams are looking to come in this game to dominate, but a lot of the work will be placed on Anderson to get the work done, without Newton behind center.
