Cam Newton's Long-Term Health More Important to Panthers Than Victory over Lions

Every game in the NFL matters, but the health of a team's franchise quarterback matters even more.

Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera told ESPN.com's David Newton he expects quarterback Cam Newton to be "ready to roll" for Sunday's home opener against the Detroit Lions after missing the season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with an injured rib. 

"The way it was explained to me, this one week would make a big difference for him," Rivera said Monday. "So I feel very confident, very comfortable going forward with him."

Despite Rivera's confidence in Newton's return, the Panthers should sit the two-time Pro Bowler Sunday against the Detroit Lions. 

The overarching concern prior to last week's contest was that another shot to Newton's injured rib could cause him to miss an extra three or four weeks, according to FOX Sports' Jay Glazer. There is no reason to risk further injury while the Panthers are winning. 

The Panthers set themselves up well with a 20-14 victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 1. And backup quarterback Derek Anderson was efficient during his first start since 2010. In fact, his performance against Tampa Bay was exactly what one would expect from Newton when playing the rival Buccaneers.  

Quarterback	Completions	Attempts	Yards	Touchdowns	Interceptions	QB rating
Derek Anderson	24	34	230	2	0	108.7
Cam Newton	18	29	263	2	2	85.8
Cam Newton	23	32	221	2	0	111.6

Let's quickly get something out of the way: Anderson is not a better quarterback than Newton. He's simply a better option at this point in time.  

Anderson brings consistency and chemistry to the Panthers' first-team offense. 

The stats provided above don't tell the entire story of Newton's performances against Tampa Bay. The Panthers' starting quarterback was sacked three times by the Buccaneers in two games last season. Anderson was sacked once behind the Panthers' revamped offensive line.

Chris O'Meara/Associated Press

While the backup quarterback's immobility is often seen as a negative, it can be a positive for the offensive line, especially a unit still feeling each other out and attempting to jell. The young offensive line knows exactly where Anderson will be in the pocket each and every play.

The blockers know the angles they need to protect. The same can't be said for a mobile quarterback like Newton. The Auburn product will be flushed out of the pocket and attempt to make something out of nothing. This can end spectacularly for Carolina or cost them yardage due to the quarterback not getting rid of the football by trying to extend the play. 

This isn't to say Newton's mobility is a negative. The quarterback was the Panthers' leading rusher in both games against the Buccaneers last season, accumulating 118 yards and a pair of touchdowns on the ground. But the Panthers don't want their franchise quarterback scrambling all over the place upon his return in order to protect his rib cage. By keeping Newton in the pocket, though, it does take away a special dynamic he brings to the offense. 

As Newton prepares for the contest against the Lions, he hasn't exactly looked stellar during practice as a pure pocket passer. 

Panthers head coach Ron Rivera told The Charlotte Observer Newton's timing has been off this week. 

"

Hopefully in the next couple of days he’ll work through that, and I am concerned about it. It’s hard because he did miss a good six or seven practices in terms of that. But he has been throwing the ball on the side, he’s been working with the receivers.

They did some extra throws today as well. I think it’s a matter of time before he gets comfortable again in the next couple of days.

"

After another day of practice, Newton showed improvement, which will ease some concerns heading into this weekend's contest. 

The primary concern for the Panthers isn't scoring points, though. There will be more of an emphasis on stopping the Detroit Lions' offense.

The Lions accumulated 417 yards of offense Monday against the New York Giants. Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford looked particularly sharp. Stafford finished 22-of-32 passing for 346 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Sunday's contest will be won or lost based on the performance of Carolina's defense, not who starts at quarterback. 

And the heart of the Panthers' defense is the NFL's reigning Defensive Player of the Year, linebacker Luke Kuechly. The Panthers might be more desperate if Kuechly was injured instead of Newton.

Panthers.com's Bryan Strickland weighed the value of the team's two franchise pieces:

"

...linebackers like Luke Kuechly are in short supply. We are talking about the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year, a player whose literal impact is seen play after play when his understanding of where to be and his sure tackling meet at the football. Kuechly also impacts the defense in ways not as easily seen, like helping get his fellow defensive players in the right position to make plays.

On the other hand, Newton isn't the only star quarterback in the league, but he is one of a kind. His combination of passing ability and running ability is arguably unmatched. And despite his recent rib injury, he brings a physicality to the position that some linebackers wish they possessed.

"

Since Strickland is a team employee, he hedged his answer, but his response provided a glimpse into how the Panthers view the two players. 

Last season, Kuechly's overall grade was higher than Newton's, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Kuechly was even named one of PFF's top four performers the first week of the season. The quarterback actually graded negatively as a passer in 2013, and the bulk of his overall score was propped up by his ability to run the football. 

Newton admitted he's not fully healthy as of yet, which also takes away from his ability to be a true duel threat. 

"

I’m still surprised (with) me being hurt for this long. This is a culture shock for me, My thing is to execute the given play, execute the game plan the best of my ability. If the option is for me to make a play when I have to, I will, or I’ll put myself in the best situation to do so.

Nothing is hindering me from playing football, and that’s the great thing for me.

"

It was clear during Sunday's game Rivera had a difficult time keeping Newton on the bench. After all, the Panthers coach couldn't even keep the fourth-year signal-caller out of the huddle.

Yet by Newton's own admission, the quarterback is not 100 percent healthy. And the Lions possess an aggressive defensive front that is clearly on Newton's mind. 

"My main focus right now is focusing on the Detroit Lions," Newton told reporters Wednesday. "I think I’ve got my hands full trying to find ways to stay protected [from] Donkey Kong Suh and my fellow Auburn teammate, Nick Fairley."

Paul Sancya/Associated Press

Forgetting Newton's unnecessary shot at Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, Detroit's defense will be able to get after whatever quarterback is behind center for the Panthers. The Lions held the Giants to 197 total yards and hit quarterback Eli Manning eight times. 

A combination of solid play from Anderson during Week 1, a stout Panthers defense, an aggressive Lions defense and Newton not being fully healthy is a recipe for disaster if Carolina rushes its starting quarterback into the lineup this weekend. 

It's a far better option to allow Newton to heal at least one more week, get him more practice reps and have him fully prepared for the team's Sunday night affair against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 3.

Anderson isn't the Panthers' long-term answer at quarterback, but the veteran backup gives the team the best chance to win Sunday against the Lions. 

Brent Sobleski covers the NFC South for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter.