SMITH-TALIB, OIL-WATER: Smith and Patriots cornerback Aqib Talib apparently don't like each other very much. It started with Talib grabbing Smith's foot and not letting go after a play. Talib got a flag for that and then another on a holding call on Smith. They had to be separated by officials twice. "Holding my leg and not letting it go? I play with my kids like that sometimes," Smith said. "But other than that, I really didn't have anything to say to him. I just let my play speak."
Newton turned in what might have been the defining win of his three-year NFL career in helping the Panthers knock off Tom Brady and the Patriots 24-20 to win their sixth straight game and remain one game behind the New Orleans Saints in the NFC South.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) ? Lost in Carolina's controversial win over the New England Patriots Monday was the breakout performance of third-year quarterback Cam Newton.
RIVERA CAN WIN CLOSE ONES: The knock on Rivera was he couldn't win close games. But his team beat the Patriots in a tight one just a week after clipping San Francisco 10-9. "It feels very good to win football games like we did last week and this week," Rivera said. Bet it does for a guy who had been 2-14 in three seasons in games decided by fewer than seven points.
"It's just fantastic, just watching Cam grow,Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping, watching him lead this team,K?nken Ryggs?ck Rea, watching him go 83 yards,Cheap Shoes China," Smith said. "You hear all about statistics, about other guys having game-winning drives. Now Cam has his game-winning drive against a big team."
Back judge Terrence Miles threw a flag, but the officials gathered, waved it off, and Newton's Panthers escaped.
CONCERN OVER JOHNSON: The Panthers lost defensive end Charles Johnson for a stretch during the game, but he was able to return on New England's final possession. Still, Johnson, who has 8