The Carolina Panthers, specifically head coach Ron Rivera, have thrown out the term “new normal” pretty often this season, generally in reference to their players’ practice habits.
In Cam Newton’s case, that “new normal” means limited practices Wednesday and Thursday as the team tries to protect his surgically-repaired right shoulder. For the Panthers, it also meant adding an offensive coordinator who could build a philosophy without an emphasis on deep passes and receivers who do most of their work after the catch.
The plan seemed to be working. In the seven games since his “new normal” began in Week 8, Newton has completed 72 percent of his passes, averaging 262.