NFL notebook: Panthers reportedly shut down QB Newton

The Carolina Panthers are expected to sit franchise quarterback Cam Newton for the remainder of the season. The expected move comes one day after coach Ron Rivera told reporters that the Panthers (6-8) had a "slim glimmer" of hope for the playoffs. Newton is nursing an ailing right shoulder and the Panthers have lost six straight games to be all but eliminated from playoff contention. They host the Atlanta Falcons (5-9) on Sunday (1 p.m. ET) and are 1 1/2 games behind the Minnesota Vikings (7-6-1) and one game in back of the Philadelphia Eagles (7-7) and Washington Redskins (7-7) for the second wild-card spot in the NFC. Panthers general manager Marty Hurney confirmed on Wednesday that Newton will be inactive against the Falcons. Backup Taylor Heinicke will start and will be backed up by Kyle Allen. The 25-year-old Heinicke has completed 2 of 4 passes for 46 yards while making five appearances this season. Three of his career passes have come at the end of either half when the Panthers attempted a Hail Mary. Newton, who was seen wearing sweats during Wednesday's practice, has thrown for 3,395 yards with a career-best 67.9 completion percentage in 14 games this season. He threw for 24 touchdowns against 13 interceptions for Carolina. The 2015 NFL Most Valuable Player, Newton recorded season lows in completion percentage (55.2), passing yards per attempt (4.5), passing yards (131) and passer rating (52.5) in Monday's 12-9 setback to the New Orleans Saints. Newton threw 15 touchdown passes against four interceptions during the first eight games of the season before seeing his numbers take a hit. He has tossed nine touchdown passes and nine picks in his last six contests. Newton led Carolina to the playoffs for the fourth time in five years last season by throwing for 3,302 yards with 22 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. He also rushed for a career-high 754 yards and six scores. --The Miami Dolphins placed running back Frank Gore on injured reserve with a foot injury, the team announced Wednesday. The move ends Gore's streak of 126 consecutive games played, which was the longest active stretch among any NFL running back, wide receiver or tight end. Gore, a five-time Pro Bowl selection, had also started 122 straight games, the longest run for any NFL running back since Eddie George's string of 130 in a row from 1996-2004. The 35-year-old Gore is fourth all-time on the NFL's rushing list with 14,748 yards in 14 NFL seasons, trailing only Pro Football Hall of Famers Emmitt Smith, Walter Payton and Barry Sanders. He resides 521 yards behind Sanders for third place. Gore, who sustained a sprained foot in the second quarter of Sunday's 41-17 setback to the Minnesota Vikings, hasn't showed his hand on whether he'll re-sign with the Dolphins or another NFL team. "After the season, I'll see. But I still feel good and (I'm) having fun," Gore said last week. --Interim head coach Joe Philbin of the Green Bay Packers said he plans to start only players who are healthy against the New York Jets on Sunday and wouldn't say if quarterback Aaron Rodgers is in that group. Rodgers, who has been nicked up much of the season, sustained a groin injury in last week's loss to the Chicago Bears, saying it bothered him "a little bit" in the second half. Rodgers, who was on the field for the open portion on practice on Wednesday and took the initial reps with the first-team offense, is planning to play. "I'd like to be out there and lead us the last two weeks," Rodgers said. "I want to play. I expect to start and play." There has been some speculation in the media that since the Packers (5-8-1) have been eliminated from playoff contention, they might shut Rodgers down for the last two games of the season if he is not 100 percent healthy. --The Detroit Lions placed rookie running back Kerryon Johnson on injured reserve, the team announced. All-Pro cornerback/punt returner Jamal Agnew was been activated from injured reserve in a corresponding roster move. Johnson sustained a knee injury during the second half of a 20-19 win versus the Carolina Panthers on Nov. 18. He was injured on a run in which he cut to the left side of the field before being tackled near the sideline for a 3-yard gain. The 21-year-old, who missed the next four games, is expected to make a full recovery this offseason. Johnson has recorded 118 carries for a team-leading 641 yards and three touchdowns in 10 games since being selected in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft. He also has 32 receptions for 213 yards and one score. A second-round pick, Johnson highlighted his rookie season by rushing for 101 yards on 16 carries in the Lions' 26-10 win over the New England Patriots on Sept. 23. The triple-digit performance was the team's first since Reggie Bush accomplished the feat on Thanksgiving Day in 2013, ending a 70-game drought. --The Los Angeles Rams signed veteran running back C.J. Anderson and waived 2017 Pro Bowl kick returner Pharoh Cooper, the team announced. Anderson is expected to provide depth at his position through the final two regular-season games and playoffs with fellow running back Todd Gurley being considered day-to-day because of inflammation in his knee. While Gurley downplayed the situation, coach Sean McVay told reporters earlier this week that he wants his star running back to play in the final two games for the Rams (11-3). Los Angeles, which has clinched the NFC West, faces the division-rival Arizona Cardinals (3-11) and San Francisco 49ers (4-10) to wrap up the regular season. Anderson joins second-year pro Justin Davis and rookie John Kelly as backups to Gurley. The 27-year-old Anderson spent a week with the Oakland Raiders earlier this month without playing in a game before being released. He was released by the Carolina Panthers on Nov. 12. --The Green Bay Packers placed running back Aaron Jones on injured reserve with a right knee injury, the team announced. Jones sustained the injury during Sunday's 24-17 setback to the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. The loss eliminated the Packers (5-8-1) from postseason consideration. Jones, who exited after rushing for eight yards on four carries, said the injury felt similar to one he sustained to his MCL during the 2017 season. Jones has rushed for 728 yards and eight touchdowns this season while adding 26 receptions for 206 yards and a score. Green Bay signed receiver Allen Lazard from the Jacksonville Jaguars' practice squad to take Jones' roster spot. Lazard signed with Jacksonville as an undrafted free agent out of Iowa State in the spring. --Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald admitted to being uncertain if he'll retire or return for a 16th NFL season. Fitzgerald told the Arizona Republic that he has "no clue" about his future plans. So, does that mean that the 35-year-old might be playing in his final home game on Sunday (4:05 p.m. ET) when the Cardinals (3-11) host the Los Angeles Rams (11-3) at State Farm Stadium? "It may. It may not," Fitzgerald said. "NFL careers end every Sunday. I'm just blessed to be able to play the game I love." Fitzgerald overcame a slow start due to injury to collect 59 receptions for 645 yards and five touchdowns in 14 games this season. An 11-time Pro Bowl selection, he matched his franchise record in 2017 with 109 receptions while amassing 1,556 receiving yards and six touchdowns. Fitzgerald has recorded 1,293 catches for 16,190 yards with 115 touchdowns in 232 career games since the Cardinals selected him with the third overall pick of the 2004 NFL Draft. --Safety Eddie Jackson of the Chicago Bears did not practice on Wednesday after sustaining an ankle injury last Sunday in a victory over the Green Bay Packers. Head coach Matt Nagy, who said Jackson sprained his right ankle on a play in which he intercepted a pass by Aaron Rodgers later in the game, told reporters that the Bears' medical team would monitor the injury over the next few days to see if he can play on Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers. Nagy said that he hopes Jackson, who on Tuesday was named to the NFC team for the Pro Bowl in only his second NFL season, will be able to practice later in the week if he is healthy but that he won't be rushed back. Linebacker Aaron Lynch also missed practice on Wednesday because of a sprained right elbow suffered against the Packers, and the Bears don't figure to rush him back into the lineup either with the playoffs only a few weeks away. --Quarterback Nathan Peterman signed with the Oakland Raiders practice squad on Wednesday. Raiders head coach Jon Gruden, who was an ESPN analyst at the time, was very high on Peterman, who was cut by the Buffalo Bills more than a month ago, when he came out of Pitt two years ago. "Peterman is ready to walk in and be a contributor from day one," Gruden wrote at the time. "He just looks like a pro quarterback -- coming out of the huddle, running an offense with different formations, shifting, motioning, different patterns that other colleges don't run. Peterman will recognize route combinations and associate formations." Gruden declared that Peterman was "the draft's most pro-ready guy." That draft included Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs, Deshaun Watson of the Dallas Texans, and Mitchell Trubisky of the Chicago Bears. Peterman struggled the Bills, ranking last in QB rating (30.7) among NFL quarterbacks this season with a minimum of 50 passing attempts before the Bills released him. In four appearances in Buffalo this season, including two starts, Peterman completed 44 of 81 passes for one touchdown with seven interceptions. --Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Mike Williams was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week after catching seven passes for 76 yards and three touchdowns (two receiving, one rushing) in Los Angeles' 29-28 win over the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday. Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joe Haden secured AFC Defensive Player of the Week laurels after intercepting Tom Brady in the fourth quarter in Sunday's 17-10 victory over the New England Patriots. Haden, who also collected 12 tackles, batted down Brady's final fourth-down pass to seal the win. Houston Texans kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week after making five field goals and two extra points in Sunday's 29-22 victory over the New York Jets. Fairbairn leads the NFL with 136 points and 34 field goals. Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook captured NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors after rushing for a career-high 136 yards and two touchdowns in Sunday's 41-17 victory over the Miami Dolphins. Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle Grady Jarrett was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week after recording seven tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble in Sunday's 40-14 win over the Arizona Cardinals. He has a career-high six sacks this season. San Francisco 49ers kicker Robbie Gould secured NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors after making all four field-goal attempts in Sunday's 26-23 overtime win against the Seattle Seahawks.