The Carolina Panthers remain undefeated on the season with a playoff spot clinched. At this point, their biggest worry for the remaining few games of the regular season is injuries. The Panthers were hit hard at the start of the year with the loss of Kelvin Benjamin, but have since weathered that storm. However, in Week 14, the Panthers saw Greg Olsen suffer a scary injury they hope is not serious.
According to ESPN.com's David Newton, Olsen suffered a knee injury in the first half of the win over the Atlanta Falcons and did not return to the field. Newton reports that initial tests on the injury ruled out an ACL tear which is good news, but there is still a chance that Olsen is forced to miss time with the issue. Olsen told the media that he was not overly concerned about the injury and did not expect it to be a lingering issue.
"You can't play scared," Olsen said, via ESPN.com. "You can't play scared of injuries at this level. The injuries and guys getting banged up is just the way it is. It's the nature of the game we all signed up for."
The injury to Newton was not the only issue in the game as running back Jonathan Stewart left and did not return thanks to a foot injury. Like with Olsen, it is unclear how severe the problem is. Fozzy Whittaker took over as the lead back and certainly did just fine. With the Panthers getting to a big lead early, there was no rush to bring back injured players which might be a storyline to follow with the remaining regular season games. According to head coach Ron Rivera, as long as a player is healthy, everyone should expect to play. Quarterback Cam Newton agreed.
"We play games to win football games," Newton said, via ESPN.com. "No matter what the plan is moving forward, we still have to be prepared to get geared up and get prepared for the next opponent."
If either player is injured, the Panthers have others they can turn to as their depth continues to improve. Whittaker had 34 yards off eight carries for one touchdown. Mike Tolbert did a solid job as the backup getting 17 yards off six carries. Ted Gin Jr was a star for the team getting two catches for two touchdowns while Corey Brown and Devin Funchess improve.
The Panthers are set for a matchup with the New York Giants in Week 15 which should be their last challenge of the regular season. After that, they travel to Atlanta who is on a six-game losing streak and then see the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at home.