The Carolina Panthers did not bring Cam Newton back home to sit on the sidelines.
He showed up late last week and managed to score two touchdowns on his first two touches in his 2021 debut.
But P.J. Walker was the actual starter, leaving Newton to come in sporadically throughout the game.
Would the Panthers try that system again?
Such an idea seemed unlikely given the $4.5 million guaranteed to Newton for the remainder of the season.
Panthers head coach Matt Rhule finally made the switch official, even if he used some odd wording.
Panthers HC Matt Rhule says Cam Newton will start Sunday vs. WFT. “Cam will take the first play,” Rhule says.
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) November 19, 2021
Newton should take the first play, as Rhule says, and then the second, third, and so on.
Panthers QB Cam Newton to start Sunday vs. Washington pic.twitter.com/YpMGevPpjX
— NFL (@NFL) November 19, 2021
Newton Back As The Starter
It is odd to see how Rhule is handling this situation.
Is he trying to keep Washington head coach Ron Rivera guessing?
Rivera knows Newton’s game inside and out, so it’s not like he would be thrown off by seeing his former quarterback on the field.
Rhule is the one who decided to move on from Newton in favor of Teddy Bridgewater.
Then came the Sam Darnold experiment, which went so poorly the team has called upon Newton to come home and save the day.
Based on the limited showing last week in Arizona, he seems to be up to the task.
The Panthers enter Week 11 with a record of 5-5 and are right in the mix for a Wild Card spot in the NFC.
A game against Washington is a must-win given the fact the Panthers have a brutal divisional schedule to close out the season.
Also, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are sitting with six wins right now.
If Carolina can get to that number this week, anything is possible in terms of who wins the NFC South.
Getting Newton under center is the first step as fans in Carolina can rest easy knowing they won’t have to see Darnold throw another pass this season.
NEXT: Cam Newton Clearly Going To Start In Week 11
