Photo by Alex Burstow/Getty Images
Cam Newton will not make his return in Week 8
Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera has confirmed today that Kyle Allen will start at quarterback in Week 8 against the San Francisco 49ers. Much has been made of Allen’s 4-0 run this season in relief of Cam Newton. Whether you think that he is the next coming of Tom Brady or a perfectly fine back up, you can’t argue that he has played world beaters to date.
The 49ers are currently 6-0. There are certain supposedly data-driven arguments that might suggest that their 6-0 record makes them a superior team to Kyle Allen and his 4-0 record this season. However, since football is a team sport where wins are only purely predictive of playoff standings, we will take a more generous view of the Panthers chances this week.
What we can tell from wins is that Allen’s four victories this season come against teams that are a combined 12-14-1 on the season and can only boast the 17th, 19th, 22nd, and 29th best total defenses in the NFL. San Francisco’s perfect record, meanwhile, is supported by their having the number one total defense and the number one passing defense in the league, per NFL.com. They represent a different caliber of test for the young quarterback and will give him the opportunity to prove his doubters wrong.
So far, Allen has earned the starting quarterback job while Newton is still injured. Other injuries, however, may prove more important to his performance in San Francisco. Left tackle Greg Little is still in the concussion protocol and right guard Trai Turner still faces an uncertain timeline to return from his high ankle sprain.
Facing one of the best defenses in the NFL is hard enough when your offensive line is healthy. We’ll keep a close eye on the injury reports for any developments. Regardless of who lines up to protect him, Allen is going to have his hands full this week.