Newton was dialed in during his one and only drive to start the game. The Panthers went no-huddle and he completed 5-of-6 passes for 36 yards – the only incompletion coming on his pass on third-and-goal for wide receiver Ted Ginn, Jr.
“We just wanted to come out and execute and push the tempo,” Newton said.
Of course, the reigning NFL MVP also stood out for an unfortunate reason. He was penalized for being an ineligible man on the field (officially an illegal substitution) while linebacker A.J. Klein was returning an interception 90-plus yards to the end zone.