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CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Mike Mitchell faces a familiar face in Arizona quarterback Carson Palmer on Sunday, but on Monday the Carolina Panthers safety wanted to talk about Peyton Manning.

Why not? Everybody else in the league is talking about Manning and his record-setting touchdown pace.

"It's stupid,'' Mitchell said of Manning's 16 touchdowns, two better than the league record after four games. "He's the man.''

Mitchell, 26, has been playing football since the age of six. He says Manning is without question the best quarterback "I've ever played against.''

He faced Manning twice last season with Oakland. Neither was pretty as the future Hall of Famer completed 30 of 38 passes for 338 yards and three touchdowns in a 37-6 victory and 26 of 36 attempts for 310 yards and a touchdown in the second.

Mitchell's best advice for future Denver opponents is to at least try to stay a step ahead.

"The way we were figuring it out, say you're in Cover 3 and you put your foot up and then when you're in Cover 2 you stand like this,'' Mitchell said. "He knows that. So he'll be able to check out of it.

"Now you've got to play the game within the game. OK, he knows what I do in Cover 2. I'm going to show him Cover 2 and then play Cover 3. You have to mix it up with him because he's so smart.''

If you don't, the result will be what it was on Sunday when Manning threw for 327 yards and four touchdowns in a 52-20 victory over Philadelphia.

"That's what makes it so hard to play against him,'' Mitchell said. "You're basically going up against an offensive coordinator that is throwing the football.''

Mitchell also knows a thing or two about Palmer, his teammate with the Raiders the past two seasons. Palmer is the engineer of an offense that head coach Bruce Arians called "putrid'' after a 13-10 victory over Tampa Bay.

In four games, he has four touchdown passes and six interceptions.

In other words, nowhere close to Manning.

"He's a real big timing quarterback,'' Mitchell said. "So if you can knock some timing off I believe he'll struggle a little bit.''

Struggle isn't even in Mitchell's vocabulary when it comes to Manning.

"He really is the man,'' he said.

A weekly examination of the Panthers’ ESPN.com Power Ranking:

Preseason: 23 | Last Week: 21 | ESPN.com Power Ranking since 2002

Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera spent his bye weekend, in his words, "flopping around" the Charlotte area going to restaurants and other venues with his wife.

"It was just nice to be out and be carefree for a while," Rivera said.

His 1-2 team didn't flop around in ESPN's Power Rankings after the bye week, remaining at No. 21. You can't ask for much more.

Rivera did spend a little bit of time checking out the rest of the league. He would have spent more, but unfortunately he doesn't have the NFL Sunday Ticket as a part of his television package.

Not that he needs it. As Rivera said of his Sundays, "I'm usually busy."

So instead of watching upcoming opponent Arizona (2-2) beat Tampa Bay -- "I couldn't find it," Rivera said. -- he watched portions of the Minnesota-Pittsburgh game from London and the New England-Atlanta game on Sunday night.

"I watched what was on TV and it was interesting," said Rivera, whose team moved up six spots in the rankings a week ago after a 38-0 victory over the New York Giants. "My perspective is a little different. I drive my wife nuts because I talk during the whole game. She said, 'Do you ever just enjoy it?' I said, 'Not really.'

"I look at what teams are doing. I challenge myself and think about things that are going on. As my wife says, 'You don't do anything normal when you watch football.' But it was fun. It really was."

You can't ask for much more there, either.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Carolina Panthers starting cornerback Josh Thomas practically begged doctors to let him play against the New York Giants nine days ago.

He told them he felt fine, that there were no side effects from the concussion he suffered a week earlier against Buffalo.

When Dr. Jerry Petty said no, Thomas was disappointed.

"Very, very surprised," he said Monday.

And thankful.

As down as Thomas was that he couldn't be a part of the 38-0 victory that coach Ron Rivera hopes is a catalyst for more wins, he's glad the league is taking such a hard stance on concussions to protect the long-term health of the players.

He's fortunate there are doctors thinking about him instead of what the coaches might want.

That the league reached a $765 million settlement over concussion-related brain injuries after more than 4,500 former NFL players filed suit has heightened awareness.

Thomas definitely paid attention.

"I mean, everything is for a good cause," Thomas said. "I understand the volume of what having a concussion is like. I don't take it lightly, and the NFL isn't taking it lightly. That's what you like the most, that they're taking the best interest for the players and not just themselves nowadays."

Thomas has been cleared to play this week against the Arizona Cardinals. He got it shortly after the Giants game.

Now he's back working with the first team after relative unknowns such as cornerback Melvin White and safety Robert Lester stepped up while Thomas and others were spectators.

Carolina (1-2) has gone from searching for enough players to fill the secondary to figuring out who might have to sit against the Cardinals (2-2) as safety Quintin Mikell (ankle) and defensive back D.J. Moore (knee) also are expected back.

"It's going to be an interesting week for us," Rivera said.

But it's a nice problem to have. And having players as selfless as Thomas has to make it a nicer problem.

"Because it's not about me," Thomas said. "It's about that 'W' we got in the last game."

The game may not have been about Thomas, but the decision to hold him out was all about Thomas. It wasn't that long ago that he would have been put back on the field without regard to his health.

"This game is built on entertainment and also safety," Thomas said. "You want to play the game the most safe way possible."

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- More than a few people noticed when Carolina Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart ran at close to full speed down the sideline during Monday's practice.

It was the first time the former first-round pick out of Oregon tested his ankles like that since undergoing offseason surgery.

"And that was exciting,'' coach Ron Rivera said.

Said Stewart, who has struggled in particular with rehabbing the right ankle, "As good as it's felt in a while.''

So could Stewart be ready to come off the physically unable to perform list in two weeks and be ready for the Oct. 20 home game against the St. Louis Rams? Neither Stewart nor Rivera wanted to get too far ahead of themselves, but Monday's workout was encouraging.

"I'm on the coaching side,'' Rivera said. "We get excited about things. [Head trainer] Ryan Vermillion and his people, they've got to be realistic about it.

"But it was really nice to see him go full ... I shouldn't say full speed, but really open up.''

A healthy Stewart would open up a Carolina offense that already ranks third in the NFL in rushing with DeAngelo Williams carrying the bulk of the load (291 yards).

A healthy Stewart could mean a return to the days when Williams and Stewart were nicknamed "Double Trouble.''

Rivera said there have been times already this season where Williams could have used a break on long drives. He also reminded that "everything is eyeing to the postseason,'' so the Panthers (1-2) don't necessarily have to rush Stewart back. A more realistic chance of seeing Stewart might be in Week 8 or 9.

On target to return this week against Arizona is another former Oregon running back, Kenjon Barner, who has been out since suffering an ankle injury in the preseason finale.

Barner definitely will be used to spell Williams and give Carolina a different look with his breakaway speed.

"He's a very diverse football player,'' Rivera said of this year's sixth-round pick. "He has the ability to run the football and catch it, and he's learned how to pass protect. A lot of [how he's used] has to do with play calling and the flow.''

Not good enough: Much of the attention before a 38-0 victory over the New York Giants was on how well Carolina practiced after an 0-2 start.

Monday's first workout after the bye weekend wasn't that good.

"Practice was good, but it wasn't good enough, and I let them know that at the end,'' Rivera said. "They did some really good things, but as we talked about, to win football games we've got to practice the whole way.''

That may be especially true coming into a game against a 2-2 Arizona team that had to rally to beat winless Tampa Bay on Sunday.

"We've just got to make sure everybody is on the same page, everybody is pushing, because we have a chance to build momentum coming off a win,'' Rivera said.

Injury updates: Starting left cornerback Josh Thomas (concussion) has been cleared to play this week after being held out against New York. Defensive tackle Dwan Edwards (thigh) and safety Quintin Mikell (ankle), who also missed the Giants game, were not in pads on Monday and did not practice in full. They will be evaluated again on Wednesday.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- A member of the Carolina Panthers staff joked last week that he'd never heard an NFL head coach say it was a bad time to have a bye week.

Sure enough, coach Ron Rivera said Week 4 was a good time for the Panthers (1-2) to have a bye.

Here are four reasons why:

You can't lose: Not to be a smart aleck, but when you don't play you can't lose. The Panthers actually moved into sole possession of second place in the NFC South thanks to losses by Atlanta (1-3) to New England and Tampa Bay (0-4) to Arizona. A loss by the New Orleans Saints (3-0) against Miami (3-0) on Monday night and they could close the gap on first.

But they did lose ground in that only five NFC teams had a better record going into Week 4 and seven do now.

Time to heal: Defensive tackle Dwan Edwards got another week to heal a thigh injury that sidelined him for Week 3. The Panthers need Edwards to maintain the solid rotation they want on the line. It also basically gave linebacker Jon Beason, who seems to be missing a step since returning from offseason knee surgery, a two-week break. He was in for only one play against the New York Giants. Cornerback Josh Thomas (concussion) and safety Quintin Mikell (ankle) also should be back this week.

Evaluation: The early break gives the coaching staff a week to break down everything that they've done right and wrong, and correct those things before they get too deep into the season.

Head start: Not that Arizona is lighting it up at 2-2, but the break gives the Panthers an extra week to prepare for the Cardinals. The only way the 38-0 victory over the Giants means anything is to follow it up with another victory. That didn't happen a year ago when Carolina lost five straight after improving to 1-1.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Player after player talked about how much better 1-2 is than 0-3 after the Carolina Panthers steamrolled the New York Giants 38-0 a week ago.

Here's how much better.

Only Chicago (3-0), New Orleans (3-0), Seattle (3-0), Dallas (2-1) and Detroit (2-1) had a better record in the NFC heading into Week 4. Only New Orleans had a better record in the NFC South with Atlanta 1-2 and Tampa Bay 0-3.

It gets better. Carolina's next five opponents -- Arizona (1-2), Minnesota (0-3), St. Louis (1-3), Tampa Bay (0-3) and Atlanta (1-2) -- entered Sunday's games a combined 3-13.

Does that mean the Panthers, enjoying an early bye week, are in position to get on a roll?

"We're not going to say going on a run or anything,'' quarterback Cam Newton said. "Our main focus is trying to become 2-2. We're not looking down saying where we want to be. Our main focus is going to Arizona (Oct. 6) and taking care of business.''

But prognostications for the Panthers, who were all but given up for dead a week ago, whose coach's future was unclear after a last-second 24-23 loss at Buffalo dropped him to 2-14 in games decided by seven points or less, don't seem as dismal as a week ago.

"It's downhill from here,'' running back DeAngelo Williams said. "It was an uphill battle those first two games starting out 0-2 and everybody talking bad about us. Then we come back and play the Giants the way we did, now every now and then everybody gives us a little love.

"That's the business we play in.''

Coach Ron Rivera said the win over the Giants can be a catalyst for a team that hasn't had a winning record since 2008. The mood in the locker room this past week certainly hasn't been of a team that has given up hope.

For the first time in a long time the Panthers believe they have an identity. The defense, ranked 11th in the NFL, has a lot to do with that after holding highly-touted Seattle to 12 points in the opener and shutting out the Giants.

Former Panthers general manager Bill Polian, now an analyst for ESPN, called the front seven one of the best groups nobody really knows.

Seven sacks and a shutout won't keep them unknowns for long.

The identity of the offense under new coordinator Mike Shula also is taking shape. The Panthers rank second in the NFL in rushing and Newton seems to be coming into his own as a leader.

Wins tend to cure a lot that ails a struggling team, and the victory over New York and the way it was accomplished came at the right time for Carolina.

"Very sweet,'' Newton said of the feeling. "It's something we want to get accustomed to. At the same time, we can't get beside ourselves with this win. It was a great win, but at the same time we have to get prepared for Arizona.''

In other words, the victory won't mean a thing if the Panthers lose five straight as they did after improving to 1-1 a year ago with a win over New Orleans.

The upcoming week is pivotal for a Carolina team on the cusp of finding itself. A loss at Arizona and all the momentum gained against the Giants will be lost.

But at least confidence is high, which helps the coaching staff reinforce what they're trying to instill.

"It's very big,'' Newton said. "Any time you talk about great teams or teams that mesh, it's one common denominator and that is a particular swagger. You never see a playoff- caliber team play scared or conservative.''

The Panthers are far from a playoff team, but 1-2 is much better than 0-3 when you look at history. Twenty-four percent of the teams that started 1-2 since 1990 have gone on to make the playoffs. Three percent that started 0-3 have.

The odds increase to 36 percent if Carolina can get to 2-2.

Oddsmakers like the Panthers better now, too. Their odds to reach the Super Bowl, according to Bovada, improved from 100-1 to 66-1 with the win over New York.

With the upcoming schedule and uncertainty in the rest of the NFC, who knows what the future holds.

"It's one win,'' Rivera said. "Simple math tells you we've got to win a few more before we get to where we want to be.''

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- NFL teams that passed on defensive tackle Star Lotulelei in the 2013 draft are finding out the hard way that the Carolina Panthers rookie, indeed, has a good heart.

A big one, too.

In many ways, the former University of Utah standout is becoming the heart of Carolina's front four.

“He’s not a star,” defensive end Greg Hardy told The Charlotte Observer after Sunday's 38-0 victory over the New York Giants. “He’s a superstar. And this superstar is a beast. I see some crazy things for his future. When and if he does keep developing, he’s going to be unstoppable.”

Lotulelei was considered the top-rated player in the draft by many before an echocardiogram administered before the NFL scouting combine in February revealed that his left ventricle was operating at just 44 percent -- well below the normal range of 55 to 70 percent.

A test administered soon after the combine reportedly led doctors to believe the initial test might have been caused by a virus. Still, many teams remained wary.

"All the time I felt fine, but at the same time, I could understand why a lot of teams wouldn't want to take that risk,” said Lotulelei, who is as humble as any player you'll find. "I'm just lucky this team took that risk.”

Carolina general manager Dave Gettleman and coach Ron Rivera didn't consider it a risk. When the Panthers' pick came up at No. 14, they needed only 90 seconds to select the 6-foot-2, 315-pound man-child.

"What Star does, he impacts the game on every snap in terms of the run game, pass game,” Gettleman said at the time.

Lotulelei hasn't disappointed. He has played well enough in his first three games to warrant early consideration for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, an award won by Carolina middle linebacker Luke Kuechly in 2012.

If he keeps improving, Lotulelei has a chance to rank as the best defensive tackle in team history. Kris Jenkins, drafted by the team in 2001, would be his closest competition.

"He's a big part of what we're doing right now,” defensive end Charles Johnson said. "The sky's the limit. We plan on him to get better.”

Lotulelei had his first NFL sack, one of six by the front four, in Sunday's victory. But sacks aren't the measure of his success so far. It's the way he demands double-teams, the way he penetrates into the opposing team's backfield to create chaos.

"He's real disruptive,” Kuechly said. "That's the thing you notice the most. And that makes everything easier for the rest of us.”

That didn't come through in Lotulelei's pre-draft workouts. He was not at peak condition after taking time off after the echocardiogram and ensuing tests.

"It was a very average workout,” Rivera said.

But when Rivera turned on tape of Lotulelei against USC and other big-time programs, he couldn't take his eyes off the domination.

"You can't hide from the tape,” Rivera said. "The young man dominated teams like [Southern California]. That's what we were more impressed with than anything else.”

Other teams ahead of Carolina in the draft probably are wishing they had relied more on that than a medical report.

"It's true for a lot of positions,” Rivera said. "You hear something, you see something, somebody says something and next thing you know, nobody wants to touch the player with that pick.”

As a result, Carolina got a Star who quickly is becoming a star.

"Superstar, baby,” Hardy said. "And he's humble about it. He's down to earth, he wants to work, and that's what makes a star.”

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Quarterback Cam Newton is going to his brother's wedding. Wide receiver Steve Smith is playing golf with his son and enjoying a post-round Shirley Temple at the clubhouse. Tackle Jordan Gross is going camping.

But no member of the Carolina Panthers will have a prouder moment during this bye weekend than running back DeAngelo Williams.

He'll see his high school jersey retired on Friday night.

The honor is long overdue. The University of Memphis retired Williams' No. 20 in 2006.

You would have thought Wynne (Ark.) High School would have take his No. 34 out of circulation long before now, considering he led the Yellowjackets to a state championship as a senior in 2001 with a single-season record 2,204 yards and 34 touchdowns.

But at least Williams gets to return for the special moment ranked third in the NFL in rushing three games into the 2013 season.

"Has everybody played already?'' Williams deadpanned when talking about his plans. "I don't keep up with all that. I'm trying to play my role and do my job here. That's all. I'm not into stats and all that stuff.''

Rushing yards are down across the NFL. LeSean McCoy's 395 yards for Philadelphia would have been leading through three weeks in 2012, but the gap between him and second-place Doug Martin of Tampa Bay would have been much closer.

Martin's 297 yards would have ranked sixth a year ago. Williams would have been seventh.

That's not to detract from what Williams has done. He's dispelling the myth that running backs begin to decline at 30. After reaching that age in April, he's on pace for 1,552 yards, a big reason the Panthers rank second in the league in rushing.

"He's just hitting the hole hard,'' coach Ron Rivera said. "When he's going and he knows where he wants to go, he hits that crease, it's one cut and he lowers his shoulder and goes. There's not a lot of dancing. He's very decisive. He's got great vision right now.''

Williams also knows when to take a loss, and the communication he has with the offensive line and Newton makes him valuable as a blocker in pass situations.

"We just need him to keep doing it,'' offensive coordinator Mike Shula said.

But for now, Williams is enjoying life away from football. He spent much of Thursday in a tree stand bow-hunting. He'll be in Arkansas for the retirement of his jersey Friday, back in Charlotte to take his daughter to the birthday party of fullback Mike Tolbert on Saturday and at an amusement park in nearby South Carolina with his daughter on Sunday.

His bye-week schedule is so busy that he had to tell a good friend from Arkansas he couldn't go hunting Saturday, and if you know Williams, you know that pains him.

But Williams likes staying busy off the field almost as much as he does on it. One of the first things he asked Shula when he replaced Rob Chudzinski as coordinator was how much of the new game plan revolved around running and what he thought of him as a back.

"I'll do whatever it takes to win,'' Williams said. "We can throw the ball every play, run every play, as long as it equals a W at the end of the day. If it doesn't, then we've got to talk.''

On Friday, all the talk at Wynne High will be about Williams and his epic accomplishments. And they were epic indeed, from rushing for 302 yards and six touchdowns in the playoffs against Greenwood High to scoring two rushing touchdowns, one receiving touchdown and one return touchdown in the state championship against Stuttgart.

It'll be a proud moment for a man who continues to do himself proud in the NFL.

Bonus stat: Entering Week 4, no player in the NFL outside of Carolina wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. has two touchdowns of 40-plus yards. Ginn has scored on touchdown catches of 40 and 47 yards.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- There comes a time in every NFL player's life when he no longer can perform to the level that made him special because of age or injury and it is time to accept a lesser role -- maybe even step aside altogether.

That time may be coming for Carolina Panthers linebacker Jon Beason.

The three-time Pro Bowl selection, trying to return from microfracture knee surgery during the offseason, played only one snap in Sunday's 38-0 victory over the New York Giants.

Head coach Ron Rivera and defensive coordinator Sean McDermott are non-committal about how much starting or playing time Beason will get moving forward, giving the standard "we're going to put the people on the field that give us the best opportunity to win.''

Beason doesn't give the Panthers (1-2) that now. If anything, he's been a liability.

In the opener, he failed to make a fourth-quarter tackle he normally makes in his sleep. That allowed Seattle to get out of a hole and run out the clock for a 12-7 victory.

In a 24-23 loss to Buffalo he gave up five catches for 112 yards, including a 45-yarder to Stevie Johnson on which 35 yards came after the catch.

That his replacement, Chase Blackburn, played well against the Giants only makes Beason appear more expendable. That the weakside linebacker position doesn't have to be on the field for 40 or 50 plays in this scheme plays a factor as well.

In his prime, Beason was a beast. He led the team in tackles with 140 as a rookie in 2007 and was runner-up for the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award.

He made his first Pro Bowl in his second season, recording 138 tackles and three interceptions. He continued at that pace until 2011 when his season ended early with a torn left Achilles tendon.

He's never been quite the same.

Given his play so far, Beason may be taking up a roster spot that could be better used on a younger player that could at least contribute on special teams. You can't ask a player of Beason's credentials to play special teams.

Only time will tell. The bye week comes at a good time for the 28-year-old from Florida. With the rest he had against the Giants he'll basically get two weeks off.

Maybe when the Panthers resume play on Oct. 6 at Arizona, Beason will have found that extra step he's been missing.

Middle linebacker Luke Kuechly insists his teammate, whether as a starter or a backup, remains an asset.

"He loves playing football,'' said Kuechly, who fills the position where Beason once starred. "That's what he does. He handled [Sunday] well. He was very helpful on the sideline. He gave us some feedback and did a good.

"When you have depth, it allows you to move pieces around.''

Beason isn't ready to talk about the present or the future. Approached on Wednesday he politely said, "Got nothing for you today.''

Then he disappeared, smiling all the way.

Regardless of what his future holds, Beason will handle it with dignity. He'll be respected for that just as much as he was respected for his performance when he was at the top of his game.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Greg Hardy's goal during this bye weekend for the Carolina Panthers is to avoid trouble.

The goal for every team that faces the Panthers the rest of the season should be to avoid the fourth-year defensive end out of Ole Miss.

Hardy was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week on Wednesday after recording eight tackles, three sacks, three quarterback hurries and three tackles for loss in Sunday's 38-0 dismantling of the New York Giants.

It was the first award of any kind for Hardy since he arrived in the NFL as a sixth-round pick in 2010.

You get the feeling there will be more.

"I'm trying to get some Pro Bowls, All-Pros and whatnot," Hardy said. "I've got to keep my head down, keep grinding."

It's that lunch-pail mentality that has gotten Hardy, self-dubbed, "The Kraken," this far. It is the same mentality that will help him get to the next level -- if he's not already there.

Remember his preseason goal of 50 sacks after last season's breakout year in which he had 11?

"Why shoot low, right? If I'm going to shoot at it, I'm going to shoot at it with a .50 caliber," Hardy said at the time. "I'm going to shoot at a little bird with a .50-caliber bullet. That's the goal for this year -- 50 sacks. That's where I'm at."

That, of course, would more than double Michael Strahan's single-season record of 22.5. So most took Hardy's prediction for what it was.

"Well, I'm not going to quote like he did and say 50, but he's got a high ceiling," coach Ron Rivera said. "He's just beginning to scratch the surface."

Sunday was just a sample, and not just because of the sacks.

The Panthers grade more on production than tackles and sacks. They grade on how many times a player impacts a play. For a defensive lineman, a good grade is one out of every four to seven plays.

Hardy graded out at one out of every 2.3.

"It was a pretty good number," Rivera said with a smile. "It really was."

Hardy's penetration and ability to play end and tackle makes a questionable secondary look good, and makes a defensive coordinator look good, too.

"There's a lot of people pulling for him because of what he means to our defense,'' Rivera said.

The Panthers began talking to Hardy's representatives before the season about extending his deal, which expires after this season. It would be to Carolina's benefit to get it done for many reasons, but more importantly, to solidify the defensive front for many years to come.

Hardy definitely understands the value of having tackles Star Lotulelei, and Dwan Edwards, as well as end Charles Johnson, on his side. Johnson and Lotulelei each contributed to Carolina's seven sacks against the Giants, as did backup tackle Kawann Short with Edwards inactive with a thigh injury.

"It's crazy how many guys we have who can just pass rush and get sacks," Hardy said. "It's hard not to get player of the week when you've got guys swarming around and the quarterback is on the run all day."

 
ESPN.com team reporter David Newton on what coach Ron Rivera's plans are going into the Carolina Panthers' bye week.

A weekly examination of the Panthers' quarterback play.

Rewind: Cam Newton may have had better games statistically, but none in which he had more complete command of his game. He wasn't perfect. The first-half interception that should have been returned for a touchdown, in his words, was "senseless." But instead of going to the sideline and sulking as he has done in the past, he got mad -- at himself. On the next five drives he led the Panthers to a field goal and four touchdowns. After starting 0-for-5 on passes of 15 yards or more, he connected on five straight, three for touchdowns. He also rushed for a touchdown. Left tackle Jordan Gross summed it up best: "When he's hot, we're hot." Newton was hot.

Fast-forward: A week ago, Newton opened his Wednesday media availability with a statement, something he'd never done. He wanted to say how impressed he was with the tempo and enthusiasm in practice after a tough loss to Buffalo. That's the kind of leadership the Panthers need from Newton.

Key moment: On the third play of Carolina's second possession, Newton scrambled 14 yards for a first down. From that moment on, the Giants were completely off balance. The Panthers need Newton to run to maximize their effectiveness. Newton needs that kind of early involvement to get into a rhythm.

Prediction: Nothing to predict during the bye week, but if you remember last week I predicted Newton would rush for a touchdown and have more than 40 yards on the ground. He scored on a 3-yard run and rushed for 45 yards. Good way to go into an off weekend.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- It won't be long before the Carolina Panthers have an abundance of options for the NFL's No. 2 rushing attack.

Rookie running back Kenjon Barner returned to practice on Tuesday for the first time since spraining his foot in the third preseason game against Baltimore.

Former starter Jonathan Stewart, placed on the physically unable to perform list while rehabbing lingering issues from offseason ankle surgery, is on schedule to return in Week 7.

They eventually will join DeAngelo Williams, who ranks third in the NFL in rushing with 291 yards on 62 carries. Barner is set to go in the next game, Oct. 6 at Arizona.

"I'm ready,'' Barner said. "It felt good to be able to run around, get some touches and be back out there for the guys.''

Barner will provide much needed relief for Williams, who has averaged 20 rushes a game during a 1-2 start. Barner also will provide a change of pace for the offense with his speed and ability to get around the corner.

"I can contribute in any way they want me to,'' said Barner, a sixth-round pick out of Oregon who rushed for 45 yards on 16 carries before the injury. "I bring a different type of running style than DeAngelo brings, a kind of change of pace.

"I feel I can contribute in that area, just change the look of things.''

When Barner and Williams both return it could change the look of the entire offense.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- It didn't seem like such a big deal at the time, a 14-yard scramble by a quarterback known for his running as much or more than his passing.

But on Sunday, when Cam Newton turned a third-and-13 situation into a first down when it appeared the Carolina Panthers were going three-and-out for the second straight series, something happened.

The New York Giants seemed to get tentative on defense.

The Panthers seemed to gain confidence.

Newton seemed to get into a rhythm.

Next thing you know it was a 38-0 blowout.

"I saw it," fullback Mike Tolbert said after a light Tuesday practice during Carolina's bye week. "I definitely saw it."

So that raised the question: Does Newton running early help get him into a rhythm?

"I don't know," left tackle Jordan Gross said. "I just know he gets excited when he gets to do the first-down thing."

Newton, who does get a bit demonstrative letting everyone in the stadium know when he runs for a first down, won't go that far.

"If I had the opportunity to run, I was going to run," he said. "If I had the opportunity to throw, I was going to do the same. It's not something I predetermined or anything."

But there's no doubt Newton running early helps the offense get into a rhythm. Just ask his teammates.

"Whenever he has an opportunity to use his legs it takes a linebacker out of there because they have to now spot him and be aware of where he is on the field at all times," said running back DeAngelo Williams, who had a season-high 120 yards rushing against the Giants. "It helps our running game and passing game."

The Carolina offensive lineman sensed the New York defense that sacked Newton on the first series was more tentative after Newton's early run.

"It causes frustration to defensive linemen," Gross said. "We were disappointed when [Giants quarterback] Eli Manning ran for a first down. So imagine how upset the other team is when they let Cam Newton do it.

"Something they probably talk about all week is not letting No. 1 get out of the pocket. When he does, it's disappointing to them."

Carolina coach Ron Rivera, as much as he wants to protect his quarterback from injury, admits an early run or two might be good for Newton. It certainly was a big part of his game at Auburn when he won the Heisman Trophy and national championship.

"For him, there's a thing about him being involved," Rivera said. "Running helps him get in the rhythm early. As you look at those things, we've got to make sure we're putting him early in the position to have success. That can equate to a lot of good things."

Does that mean offensive coordinator Mike Shula will run Newton early in future games? Not necessarily, although he admitted the 14-yard scramble "kind of set the tone."

He also said those kinds of things vary week to week.

That and Newton's reluctance to admit running helps him get into a rhythm prompted me to ask if there's a part of him that doesn't want to be known as a running quarterback.

"There's a part of me that wants to be known as a winner," said Newton, who ran for one touchdown and threw for three against New York. "Whatever I do to get that -- throwing, running, passing, blocking, catching -- I'm all for it."

A weekly examination of the Panthers’ ESPN.com Power Ranking:

Preseason: 23 | Last Week: 27 | ESPN.com Power Ranking since 2002

The voters obviously were impressed by Carolina's 38-0 victory over the New York Giants, moving the Panthers up six spots to a season-high 21st in the Power Rankings.

They had a lot to be impressed by even if they weren't impressed by the winless Giants, who dropped nine spots to 29th.

The defense, ranked 11th in the NFL, in particular was eye-catching. The Panthers (1-2) held Eli Manning and the then-No. 1 passing offense to 119 yards. They sacked Manning seven times, six in the first half.

They had Manning so shaken at one point that he threw the ball at his running back's feet to avoid another hit.

The offense had its moments as well. Quarterback Cam Newton passed for 223 yards and three touchdowns, and ran for 45 yards and a touchdown. DeAngelo Williams had 23 carries for 120 yards, moving him to third in the league in rushing.

With speculation that head coach Ron Rivera's job was at risk a week after losing 24-23 in the final seconds against Buffalo, Carolina posted its most lopsided win in franchise history.

The voters obviously were impressed.