CHARLOTTE http://www.jaguarsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-gardner-minshew-ii-jersey , N.C. (AP) — Cam Newton insists he isn’t missing a game.The Panthers quarterback said he’ll be ready to play against the Browns on Sunday despite lingering pain in his throwing shoulder. But coach Ron Rivera wasn’t quite as certain Wednesday, leaving the door open by saying, “We’ll see. We’re not even to Friday.”More than 20 months after having surgery to repair a partially torn rotator cuff, the 6-foot-5, 245-pound giant of a quarterback is still experiencing pain and discomfort in his right shoulder that is limiting what he can do on the field. Offensive coordinator Norv Turner has limited Newton’s downfield throws this season and twice replaced the league’s 2015 MVP with backup Taylor Heinicke when lining up for Hail Mary passes.Newton reps were limited in practice Wednesday — as they have been for several weeks — as part of Rivera calls “the new normal.”The Panthers (6-6) are a half-game behind the Vikings in the race for the second NFC wild card spot following a disappointing 24-17 loss to the Buccaneers last Sunday in which Newton was intercepted four times.Newton has thrown downfield fewer times this year than at any point in his career. That’s by design in order to prevent his shoulder from wearing out. As a result, he’s completing a career-high 69.5 percent of his passes, mostly because of the used of check-downs and short passes underneath the coverage.Rivera said Newton and the offensive coaches are “doing the best they can” to manage the situation. He said it’s critical that Newton communicates with coaches on how he feels.“We have to make decisions going forward as to how the offense has to click,” Rivera said. “He has to be very transparent with Norv when it comes to the plays” he can run.Browns interim coach Gregg Williams said Newton still has plenty of pop in his shoulder.“I’ve heard the reports (about the shoulder), but when I see the film I still him being able to zing in when he wants to,” Williams said. “And when he has a solid pocket where he can still get his body weight behind him, he can still do that.”When asked if he’ll need to get his shoulder addressed medically once again after the season, Newton said, “among other things.”He wouldn’t elaborate in his weekly news conference on what other parts of his body might need to be addressed, saying “c’mon, you know people are looking at this tape.”When pressed on whether he will need surgery, Newton grinned and said, “I can neither confirm nor deny.”Newton also declined to say if there’s a particular play in which he reinjured the shoulder or if it is simply the result of continued wear and tear on the body.Regardless, Newton said he doesn’t regret having the surgery in March of 2017 Christian Wilkins Jersey , saying it “needed to be done.”But he also acknowledged he didn’t think he would still be having problems with his shoulder at this point in his NFL career.“I would not have expected me to still have the kind of things that are lingering from that, but it is what it is,” Newton said. “It’s about managing pain and understanding that you have a job to do and a responsibility to put your best product out on the field. I want to do that not only for myself but this team.”__ Giving quarterbacks big money doesn’t guarantee success or even playoff appearances.The NFL’s six highest-paid quarterbacks in 2018 will be spectators this postseason. Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers ($33.5 million), Atlanta’s Matt Ryan ($30 million), Minnesota’s Kirk Cousins ($28 million), San Francisco’s Jimmy Garoppolo ($27.5 million), Detroit’s Matthew Stafford ($27 million) and Oakland’s Derek Carr ($25 million) couldn’t lead their teams to the playoffs.Only Cousins had a winning record (8-7-1), and he failed in a do-or-die game in the regular-season finale. Cousins, who received a three-year, fully guaranteed, $84 million contract, struggled in a 24-10 loss to the Chicago Bears that eliminated the Vikings.Of the top six on the salary list, only Rodgers has won a Super Bowl. Ryan is 4-6 in the playoffs, Stafford is 0-3 and Cousins is 0-1. Carr and Garoppolo haven’t made a postseason start.Among the 12 starting quarterbacks still playing, six are still under their rookie contract and another — Nick Foles — is a backup.Here’s a look at a few more numbers entering wild-card weekend:SETTING RECORDS: New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees broke his own record with a 74.4 completion percentage, the highest in a season in NFL history. … Philadelphia’s Zach Ertz set a record for most receptions by a tight end (116). … San Francisco’s George Kittle set a record for most yards receiving by a tight end (1,377). … Teams combined to score 1,371 total touchdowns http://www.dolphinsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-michael-deiter-jersey , the highest total in a season. … Eight quarterbacks had a passer rating of 100 or higher, most in a season.LAST MAN STANDING: Philadelphia’s Doug Pederson is the only one of seven coaches hired in 2016 still with his team. Adam Gase (23-26, Miami), Chip Kelly (2-14, San Francisco), Hue Jackson (3-36-1, Cleveland), Mike Mularkey (19-17, Tennessee), Dirk Koetter (19-29, Tampa Bay) and Ben McAdoo (13-16, Giants) all were fired, some sooner than others.WORST TO FIRST: The Bears (12-4) and Texans (11-5) won their divisions after finishing in last place in 2017. The Eagles won the Super Bowl last year after going worst-to-first in the NFC East.THE NEWCOMERS: Seven teams who weren’t in the playoffs last season qualified this year. All seven — Baltimore, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Indianapolis, the Los Angeles Chargers and Seattle — will play this weekend. Since the 12-team playoff format was adopted in 1990 Garrett Bradbury Jersey , at least four teams have qualified for the playoffs in every season that were not in the postseason the previous year.WILD-CARD CHAMPS: Nine teams who played wild-card games have won the Super Bowl, including the 1980 Raiders, 1997 Broncos, 2000 and 2012 Ravens, 2005 Steelers, 2006 Colts, 2007 and 2011 Giants and 2010 Packers.TOUGHEST ROAD: The Eagles and Colts are each trying to become only the third No. 6 seed to win a Super Bowl, joining the 2005 Steelers and 2010 Packers.EASIEST ROAD: Since 1975, 49 of the 86 teams (57 percent) to reach the Super Bowl were No. 1 seeds. In that span, 20 No. 2 seeds, four No. 3, nine No. 4, two No. 5 and two No. 6 made it. Over the past five years, nine of 10 No. 1 seeds played in the Super Bowl. Only the 2016 Cowboys didn’t get in.WELCOME TO THE DANCE: Four quarterbacks will make their postseason debut as starters. Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson, Chicago’s Mitchell Trubisky and Houston’s Deshaun Watson play this weekend. Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes has a bye.STINGY DEFENSE: In three of the past four seasons, the teams with the stringiest regular-season scoring defense have advanced to the Super Bowl. The Bears led the league with the fewest points allowed per game (17.7) this season.
