Cam Newton needs another week off and maybe more.
The Panthers announced Monday morning that Newton will miss a second straight game because of his ailing foot, while noting his return is unknown. Kyle Allen will start at quarterback Sunday at the Texans.
"What Cam needs right now is time and rest for his foot," coach Ron Rivera said in a statement. "We want him at 100 percent when he's ready, so there's no exact timetable for his return. At this point, we're going to go forward with Kyle (Allen) as our starter."
The team waited until two days before its Week 3 matchup with the Cardinals to rule out Newton. It wasted no time making that announcement in Week 4. Perhaps, the play of its second-year QB expedited the process. While Newton remained in Carolina to rehab, Allen completed 19 of 26 passes for 261 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions in the Panthers' win over Arizona this past Sunday.
Rivera was asked if Newton's injury could require surgery, and he said he was staying out of the medical side of things while reiterating he doesn't know where things stand with his franchise QB beyond this week.
"There really is no timetable, so we'll see what happens," Rivera said.
NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Newton won't return to the field until he is 100 percent. A healthy Allen has proven to suffice. The 2018 UDFA has thrown Carolina's past six touchdowns and performed swimmingly in his two career starts, winning both. (Allen also filled in for a banged-up Newton in Week 17 of last season.)
"Kyle's performance was what we needed," Rivera said. "What it does is it energizes us at a time (when) we needed a little bit of energy."
Newton initially injured his foot during the preseason and it appeared to affect his play the first two weeks of the season. He completed just 56 percent of his passes with no touchdowns and an interception, as the Panthers quickly fell to 0-2. Superman looked anything but as he was sacked six times while rushing for minus-2 yards on just five attempts. The ninth-year veteran, who battled shoulder issues last year and underwent surgery in the offseason, has not thrown a touchdown in his past four starts.
After traveling to Houston, the Panthers host Jacksonville and then play Tampa Bay in London before a Week 7 bye.
