CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Panthers will be counting on second-year quarterback Kyle Allen to help them climb out of an 0-2 hole to start the season.
Allen was named Carolina’s starter for Sunday’s game at Arizona after Cam Newton was ruled out with a mid-foot sprain. It will be the second career start for Allen, an Arizona native.
“He worked through a lot of the soreness this week and felt pretty good at the end of the week,” Rivera said on a conference call Friday. “… The one thing we don’t want to do is have another setback. So we want to make sure he is ready to roll and his foot can handle it.”
Rivera said Newton will not travel with the team to Arizona but will instead remain behind in Charlotte to receive treatment.
The coach said Newton is “day-to-day,” leaving his status unclear for Week 4.
Newton aggravated his left foot in Carolina’s 20-14 loss to the Buccaneers on Sept. 12 and has not practiced since. It will be only the sixth game the 2015 league MVP has missed during his nine-year NFL career due to injury.
Allen is 1-0 as Carolina’s starter, winning last year in Week 17 at New Orleans.
BROWNS: The Cleveland Browns could be without six defensive starters, including their entire secondary, when they host the defending NFC champion Los Angeles Rams.
Safety Damarious Randall (concussion) and linebacker Christian Kirksey (chest) were formally declared out by Coach Freddie Kitchens following practice Friday.
Safety Morgan Burnett (quadriceps), linebacker Adarius Taylor (ankle) and cornerbacks Denzel Ward (hamstring) and Greedy Williams (hamstring) are listed as questionable for the first nationally televised Sunday night game in Cleveland since 2008.
Randall, Burnett and Taylor sat out all three practices this week, and defensive captain Kirksey is out indefinitely and may require surgery for his unspecified injury that occurred Monday during the Browns’ 23-3 win at the New York Jets.
SEAHAWKS: Defensive end Ziggy Ansah, wide receiver David Moore and defensive tackle Poona Ford are set to return to the lineup Sunday against the New Orleans Saints.
Ansah will be making his debut for the Seahawks after being held out of the first two games to give his surgically repaired shoulder time to recover. Moore will make his season debut after missing the first two games with a hairline fracture in his upper arm.
Ford played in the opener against the Cincinnati Bengals but missed last week’s game with a hamstring strain.
RAMS: Tight end Tyler Higbee will miss the Rams’ game at Cleveland with a bruised chest.
LIONS: Retired star receiver Calvin Johnson said the Detroit Lions wanted him to change his story regarding one of the many concussions he had during his nine-year NFL career.
Johnson told Sports Illustrated in a story published Friday he blacked out against Minnesota in 2012 and later told reporters he had a concussion from the game.
“I wasn’t seeing straight,” Johnson said in the interview. “And they wanted me to change my story.”
Asked about Johnson’s claims, the team issued a statement.
“We respect the privacy of individual players’ medical situations and take great pride in the extensive work done by our medical staff and executive team to ensure we follow the appropriate protocols with respect to player health and safety,” the Lions said. “The well-being of our players will continue to be an organizational priority.”
Johnson also told SI he smoked marijuana after every game. His post-playing career includes being involved in the cannabis business, getting preliminary approval earlier this year for a medical marijuana dispensary in suburban Detroit.
The 33-year-old Johnson retired three years ago with 11,619 yards receiving and 83 touchdown receptions. The three-time All-Pro had 1,964 yards receiving in 2012, breaking Jerry Rice’s single-season record set in 1995, and the mark still stands.
Johnson was potentially under contract through this season after signing an eight-year, $132 million deal. He had to pay the team back more than $1 million of his signing bonus after retiring. The Lions have attempted to welcome Johnson back to be a part of the organization in some capacity. Johnson told Sports Illustrated he “won’t step foot in anything Lions-related” if the team doesn’t give him the money back.
FALCONS: The Atlanta Falcons will be without punter Matt Bosher for Sunday’s game at Indianapolis because of a right groin injury.
CHIEFS: The Chiefs will be missing three starters from their prolific offense, including running back Damien Williams, when the Baltimore Ravens visit Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday.
Williams was ruled out Friday after bruising his knee in last week’s win in Oakland, joining left tackle Eric Fisher and wide receiver Tyreek Hill on the bench for a matchup of 2-0 teams.
49ERS: The San Francisco 49ers signed tackle Sam Young to a one-year deal and placed receiver Trent Taylor on injured reserve.
EAGLES: Wide receiver DeSean Jackson won’t play Sunday against the Lions and wideout Alshon Jeffery and tight end Dallas Goedert are questionable.
BILLS: The Buffalo Bills have ruled out rookie running back Devin Singletary from playing in their home opener against the Cincinnati Bengals this weekend.
Singletary has not practiced this week since hurting his left hamstring in a 28-14 win at the New York Giants last weekend. His absence leaves the Bills thin at the position with starter Frank Gore, third-stringer T.J. Yeldon and fullback Patrick DiMarco the only other running backs on their active roster.
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