Cam Newton has started looking more like himself lately. It’s may not be a coincidence that it came when he was healthy enough to practice midweek, as it has been confirmed that practicing a thing generally makes you better at it.
So even though he was technically listed as limited Tuesday because of his surgically repaired right shoulder, Newton said he had no choice but to be ready for this week’s short turnaround against the Eagles.
“If we were to play today, I’d have to be ready to play,” Newton said, via the team’s official website. “You have to have expedited preparation for a game like this – cutting out two or three days of preparation from Thursday to Sunday – but I like where we are right now.”
Newton threw two passes in the preseason, and his work in practice was sporadic as he continued the rehab process. But now that he’s well enough to get regular work in, the results have improved. In the last two weeks, he’s led the Panthers to road wins against the Patriots and Lions, and has completed 77.4 percent of his passes for 671 yards and six touchdowns, with one interception.
“A lot of it has to do with how he feels. He’s felt good the last couple of weeks,” Panthers coach Ron Rivera said. “Those first few weeks were a struggle because he was going through the process of getting his shoulder back in shape, and now he’s at that point where he’s feeling really good.
“He’s getting proper rest and treatment and is ready to go the next day. I’m excited about how things have gone for him.”
Of course, this isn’t a normal week, and how he handles the strain of the condensed timeframe — and renewed expectations — will be interesting to watch.