GILLETTE STADIUM (68,756) / AUGUST 22, 2014 • 7:30PM / PANTHERS.COM / @PANTHERSPR CAROLINA PANTHERS (1-1) AT NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (1-1) PANTHERS TRAVEL TO NEW ENGLAND FOR FIRST ROAD TEST OF PRESEASON The Carolina Panthers passed several hurdles in Week 2 of the pre- pass rush that led the NFL in sacks last season exerted itself with a season and now travel to play on the road for the first time when they pair of sacks by Luke Kuechly and Star Lotulelei and the run defense meet the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium Friday night. The stiffened but Rivera is looking for a faster start. second week of preseason play brought Carolina’s first win, a 28-16 “It’s happened to us for two weeks in a row. Eventually we bowed decision over Kansas City, but more importantly brought encourage- our neck and forced some field goals, but we can’t hold on to them,” ment about the return to the field of two of their most prominent says Rivera. “The hard part is that when you look at it, it’s not one offensive players. guy. It’s a group of individuals. One guy on this play, one guy on Quarterback Cam Newton played for the first time since offseason that play.” ankle surgery and guided the Panthers to a pair of first half touch- In addition to the sacks, the Panthers came up with one take away downs and a 14-6 halftime advantage while completing four of nine as linebacker A.J. Klein intercepted a pass and returned it 29 yards passes for 65 yards. to the eight yard line to set up Carolina’s final score. “He did the things we needed him to do,” says head coach Ron One of Carolina’s most effective weapons in the first half was punter Rivera. “It was his first live action and he was a little antsy and Brad Nortman, who averaged 64.0 yards with a net of 48.3 yards on wanted to make some things happen. Once he settled in and started his three first half punts. Kicker Graham Gano also returned after to move you saw him gain confidence and he made plays.” missing the opening game with a sore back. It was running back Jonathan Stewart, whose season started late “There was a lot to be encouraged about with the performance a year ago with an ankle injury and ended prematurely with a knee against Kansas City, but also a lot of areas that we need to work on,” injury, who jumpstarted the offense with a 17-yard run and punctu- says Rivera. “The Chiefs were a playoff team from a year ago and ated it with two touchdown runs. He finished with 26 yards and two we are facing another playoff team this week in the Patriots. It will touchdowns on four rushes and now looks to rejoin the triple back- also be our first road game so we will be going through a different field threat of DeAngelo Williams and Mike Tolbert. routine on a short week.” The Panthers rushing leader was Fozzy Whittaker, a training camp free agent signee who had 71 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries DUAL-THREAT QUARTERBACK as the Panthers gained 129 yards on the ground against the Chiefs. In three full seasons, quarterback Cam Newton has totaled 92 Still seeking consistency behind a revamped offensive line, the touchdowns, passing for 64 and rushing for 28. Newton is the only Panthers totaled 279 yards total offense, 278 of which came in the player in NFL history with 50-plus passing touchdowns and 25-plus final three quarters. rushing touchdowns in a three-season span at any point in a career. Anchoring that group is Pro Bowl center Ryan Kalil who started His 92 total touchdowns are the second-most in NFL history in a between third-round draft choice Trai Turner at right guard and player’s first three seasons. third-year player Amini Silatolu at left guard. Manning the tackle positions are a pair players who came in the NFL as free agents, MOST TOTAL TOUCHDOWNS / FIRST THREE SEASONS Byron Bell on the left side and Nate Chandler at right tackle. Total Pass Rush Equal distribution was the theme for the receivers as nine different Player TDs TDs TDs players shared 11 receptions, including No. 1 draft choice Kelvin Dan Marino 100 98 2 Benjamin and Brenton Bersin, who tied for the team lead with two Cam Newton 92 64 28 each. Peyton Manning 88 85 3 “The first few series weren’t what we hoped to be but we felt we were Andy Dalton 87 80 7 on the verge,” says Rivera. “Then all of a sudden things started to Jeff Garcia 85 74 11 happen and guys started to make plays. We missed some opportu- Newton has used his legs and right arm to produce 13,331 com- nities, but how Cam finished up with is what we’re hoping for and bined rushing and passing yards, the most in NFL history through a we’re going to continue to work towards.” player’s first three seasons. Newton is the first player in NFL history The defense also started slower than Rivera would have liked, but to have 10,000 passing and 2,000 rushing yards in his first four steadied itself to limit the Chiefs to two first half field goals. The seasons (accomplished in three seasons). THIS WEEK IN THE NFC SOUTH BROADCAST INFORMATION All four NFC South teams continue the preseason this week. Carolina travels to New England, Tampa Bay travels to Buffalo, New Orleans to Indianapolis and Atlanta hosts Tennessee. TELEVISION SPANISH RADIO In the 2014 regular season, the NFC South will face the NFC North Panthers TV Network WGSP-AM (28-34-1 in 2013) and the AFC North (31-33 in 2013). Carolina (WCCB-TV in Charlotte) (1310 AM in Charlotte) will also play the first-place teams in the NFC West (Seattle, 13-3) Play-by-Play: Mick Mixon Play-by-Play: Jaime Moreno and the NFC East (Philadelphia, 10-6). Color Analyst: Mike Rucker Color Analyst: Luis Moreno, Jr. Sideline: Kelli Bartik THIS WEEK’S NFC SOUTH SCHEDULE Friday Carolina at New England 7:30 p.m. Saturday Tampa Bay at Buffalo 4:30 p.m. Saturday Tennessee at Atlanta 7 p.m. RADIO FLAGSHIP Saturday New Orleans at Indianapolis 8 p.m. WBT-AM (1110 AM in Charlotte) 2013 REGULAR SEASON NFC SOUTH STANDINGS Play-by-Play: Jim Szoke W L PCT. PF PA Color Analyst: Eugene Robinson * Carolina 12 4 .750 366 241 Sideline: Jordan Gross * New Orleans 11 5 .688 414 304 Atlanta 4 12 .250 353 443 Tampa Bay 4 12 .250 288 389 2014 PANTHERS SCHEDULE * 2013 Playoff Team PRESEASON (1-1) Friday Aug. 8 BUFFALO L, 20-18 MEDIA INFORMATION / CONTACTS Sunday Aug. 17 KANSAS CITY W, 28-16 Panthers.com – For the most up-to-date information on the Thursday Aug. 22 @ New England 8 p.m. WCCB Carolina Panthers, please visit the team’s official web site at Thursday Aug. 28 @ Pittsburgh 7:30 p.m. WCCB www.panthers.com. Updated daily, the web site has the most extensive information on upcoming games and the most compre- REGULAR SEASON hensive news on the Panthers. Sunday Sept. 7 @ Tampa Bay 4:25 p.m. FOX Sunday Sept. 14 DETROIT 1 p.m. FOX Sunday Sept. 21 PITTSBURGH 8:30 p.m. NBC Panthers Communications Department Sunday Sept. 28 @ Baltimore 1 p.m. CBS Charlie Dayton, Communications Director (704) 358-7471 [email protected] Sunday Oct. 5 CHICAGO 1 p.m.* FOX Steven Drummond, Media Relations Manager (704) 358-7448 Sunday Oct. 12 @ Cincinnati 1 p.m.* FOX [email protected] Sunday Oct. 19 @ Green Bay 1 p.m.* FOX Ryan Anderson, Communications Coordinator (704) 358-7473 Sunday Oct. 26 SEATTLE 1 p.m.* FOX [email protected] Thursday Oct. 30 NEW ORLEANS 8:25 p.m. NFLN Chase Altieri, Communications Intern (704) 358-7741 Monday Nov. 10 @ Philadelphia 8:30 p.m. ESPN [email protected] Sunday Nov. 16 ATLANTA 1 p.m.* FOX Sunday Cannon, Communications Intern (704) 358-7449 Sunday Nov. 23 BYE [email protected] Sunday Nov. 30 @ Minnesota 1 p.m.* FOX Sunday Dec. 7 @ New Orleans 1 p.m.* FOX Media Website – The Panthers media website can be accessed Sunday Dec. 14 TAMPA BAY 1 p.m.* FOX at http://media.panthers.com or by going to Panthers.com and Sunday Dec. 21 CLEVELAND 1 p.m.* CBS clicking on “Media Only” in the News section. It is password pro- Sunday Dec. 28 @ Atlanta 1 p.m.* FOX tected and will be available to the media and others to whom are provided the username and password. POSTSEASON (2015) URL – http://media.panthers.com Sat-Sun Jan 3-4 Wild Card Playoffs Username – panthersmedia (all lowercase) Sat-Sun Jan 10-11 Divisional Playoffs Password – carolina (all lowercase) Sunday Jan 18 Conference Championships Sunday Jan 25 Pro Bowl Glendale, Arizona Twitter – Follow the Panthers communications department on Sunday Feb 2 Super Bowl XLIX Glendale, Arizona Twitter at @PanthersPR. All times are Eastern Standard Time CAPS = HOME GAMES *Subject to Flex Scheduling – Potential for time change PRESEASON GAME 3: CAROLINA PANTHERS AT NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS NOTABLE CONNECTIONS THE SERIES • Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman was born in Boston The Panthers travel to New England for the first road game of the and attended Springfield College.