Carolina Holds Off Jacksonville 16-10 For First Win Of The Season

CHARLOTTE - The Carolina Panthers slipped in the rain that pelted Bank of America in the second quarter Sunday, but they refused to let it rain on their parade, rallying for an 16-10 victory. The Jaguars took their first lead with no time left on the first-half clock, when a 39-yard run by Maurice Jones-Drew set up a 36-yard touchdown pass from rookie quarterback Blaine Gabbert to wide receiver Mike Thomas as time expired for a 10-5 lead. The rain relented in the second half, and eventually the sun came out from the Panthers' perspective. Olindo Mare pulled Carolina within 10-8 with a 32-yard field goal late in the third quarter, then the Panthers pulled it out just when time seemed to be running out.

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Get Ready, Rookie / After Stellar Debut, Carolina QB Newton Faces Green Bay Defense

Cam Newton stunned the NFL and single-handedly revived the hopes of the Carolina Panthers’ franchise with his 422-yard passing performance Sunday in a 28-21 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. But as promising as the Panthers’ future looks, the more immediate question is how Newton will play over a long rookie season, beginning this week against the defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers.

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Newton Sets Rookie Debut NFL Passing Record In 28-21 Loss @ Arizona

Despite a record-setting debut by rookie quarterback Cam Newton, the Carolina Panthers surrendered a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns to lose their season opener 28-21 today to the Arizona Cardinals in University of Phoenix Stadium. Newton drove the Panthers to the Arizona 6-yard line with just over one minute to play but his fourth-down pass to Mike Goodson came up one yard short of a first down at the Cardinals' 2-yard line. The decisive score came when Arizona rookie Patrick Peterson returned a punt 89 yards for a touchdown that put the Cardinals ahead 28-21 with 7:15 remaining.

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Carolina @ Arizona GAMEDAY Preview

Ron Rivera isn't expecting Cam Newton to save the team, but the Carolina Panthers' first-year coach is looking for this year's top overall pick to help bring about some major improvement in 2011. Arizona Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt hopes for the same with newcomer Kevin Kolb under center. Both signal-callers begin what they hope will be long tenures with their new teams and major turnarounds as the Panthers visit the Cardinals on Sunday in a matchup of the NFC's worst teams from 2010.

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Carolina Brings Back OL Hangartner

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Carolina Panthers have brought back a familiar name, signing offensive linemen Geoff Hangartner. Hangartner spent four seasons with the Panthers from 2005-08 and started 27 games and played in 54 prior to signing a free agent contract with Buffalo in 2009. Carolina signed Hangartner on Monday after he was cut Saturday by the Bills.

He'll have a chance to start at right guard along with five-year veteran Max Jean-Gilles, who was signed on Sunday. Jean-Gilles has stated 25 games over the past three seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles.

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Newton To Start The Regular Season @ Arizona

CHARLOTTE — Cam Newton did nothing Thursday night to keep from being named the Carolina Panthers’ starting quarterback. The Panthers, though, didn’t provide many reasons to counter predictions that they’ll win five or fewer games. Carolina ended the preseason with a 33-17 loss to Pittsburgh at Bank of America Stadium. The Panthers, who went 1-3 in the preseason, open the regular season Sept. 11 at Arizona. Newton will be the starting quarterback, coach Ron Rivera said after the game.

“It speaks for itself what Cam has done,” Rivera said. “We’re looking forward to him being our starter. We’ve got to realize that we as a football team have to continue to grow. It’s not just about him, but it’s about the rest of us growing within our system. I want to make this clear, we didn’t draft Cam to be the savior. We drafted him to help build this football team.”

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