CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Panthers coach Ron Rivera said hes awaiting final clearance from team physicians before officially naming Cam Newton the starter for Sundays game against the Cleveland Browns.That clearance is expected to come Saturday.Right now, everything is pointing in the right direction, Rivera said Friday. The reason I havent said anything (definitive) is because of that one big thing — waiting for doctors to tell me they feel good about it.Newton practiced Friday for the third straight day and Rivera said he feels very confident and comfortable that the fourth-year quarterback will start Sunday, 12 days after a two-vehicle wreck left him with two lower back fractures.Rivera said he expects Newton to start as long as he keeps going. Good things have happened and weve done a lot of positive things.He said the only way Newton wouldnt play is if he suffers an unforeseen setback this weekend, but added the quarterback has had no ill effects waking up every morning this week.The 25-year-old Newton said Thursday he feels pain-free.The Panthers have increased Newtons workload every day this week to make sure hes ready to play. That includes having him run the football, which will be a part of the game plan.He did a lot of turning and twisting today, Rivera said. We put a lot of pressure on it. We had to do some things on purpose just so we could see. He seems to be right on track.Newton enters the weekend 3-8-1 as the teams starter this season.Derek Anderson filled in last week for Newton and threw for 277 yards and one touchdown, leading the Panthers to 19-17 win over Tampa Bay. Anderson is 2-0 as the teams starter with both wins coming against the Buccaneers (2-11).Newton had one of his best games of the season on Dec. 7, two days before he flipped his 1998 Dodge truck one block from the teams stadium on the way in to watch film. He completed 21 of 33 passes for 226 yards and three touchdowns lead the Panthers to a 41-10 victory at New Orleans. He also ran 12 times for 83 yards and a touchdown, the majority of those rushes on designed running plays.It adds another dimension, Rivera said. He and (Anderson) are similar, but they are different. Cam obviously is a better runner. They both bring a lot to the table. What Cam does is he adds that extra dimension, the ability to run.That was big for us against New Orleans. He had a really good rhythm. Were hoping to recapture some of that. As long as we can continue to do those things and he can do them well, hell stay out there.Rivera said if there is one concern about Newton it is making sure he is protected in the pocket, particularly on blindside hits. Newton has been sacked 36 times in 12 games.NOTES: Rivera said running back DeAngelo Williams will likely miss his third straight start with a broken bone in his hand. Jonathan Stewart is expected to start against Cleveland.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL Tom Brady Jersey Michigan . And I wanted to take this opportunity to share some of my experiences gained through International competition and the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. Seven NHL referees and six linesmen will be assigned upcoming games in Sochi by the IIHF as part of their 28-man officiating roster comprised of 14 refs and 14 linesmen. Michael Jordan Jersey Swingman . This week they discuss the Philadelphia 76ers, Gregg Popovich, Royal and Ancient Golf Club and Bill Belichick. https://www.sportsstarsjerseys.com/tom-brady-jersey/. Catch all the action on TSN starting at 10:30pm et/7:30pm pt. Toronto won at Denver and Utah, but lost in Portland and Sacramento. The Kings loss was the most recent game for the Raptors. Tom Brady Jersey Nike . Austin Watson, Scott Ford, Filip Forsberg and Mark Van Guilder had the other goals for the Admirals (30-21-12). Scott Darling made 30 saves for his 10th win of the season. Sale Michael Jordan Jersey . This was one of them. Omar Infante homered and tied a career high with six RBIs to carry the Kansas City Royals over the Baltimore Orioles 9-3 on Sunday.Alastair Cook challenged Englands naive batsmen to grow up after their 75-run defeat to Pakistan at Lords and turn the four-Test series on its head. Cook insisted England would channel the fighting spirit that inspired last summers 3-2 Ashes series victory following a 405-run thrashing by Australia in the 2015 second Test at Lords. England slip to Lords defeat England slipped to a 75-run defeat to Pakistan in the first Investec Test at Lords The England skipper accepted his side were 100 runs light in a disappointing first innings that ultimately handed Pakistan the immediate one-nil series advantage. Yasir Shah registered Pakistans best-ever match figures at Lords with 10 vital wickets, with the England captain admitting his side now have considerable ground to recover.Its a good week for some guys growing up and becoming match-hardened Test cricketers, said Cook, with the second Test at Old Trafford starting on Friday.Weeks like this do do that to you, and weve got to try to improve. We lost to Australia here far more heavily and we certainly bounced back very well in the next few games. Head coach Trevor Bayliss gave his thoughts after Pakistan beat England 75 runs at Lords. I think we were 100 runs light in the first innings. For a leg spinner to get six-for on that kind of a day too is frustrating. You dont mind on a turning wicket at the end.Its disappointing and the beauty of a four-Test series is that youve got chances to come back and thats exactly what well aim to do.I just think we had a few poor shot selections to a few certain types of balls. We played some naive shots at times to certain angles. Thats frustrating. Weve got to talk about it, but you can talk all you want: weve got to deliver.You dont mind getting bowled out sometimes, and you can play some bad shots but we played too many bad shots. Five Things: Lords How to execute the perfect press-up was just one of the many lessons dished out in the first Test It is frustrating, weve got three days now to go away and its never nice losing at Lords.dddddddddddd Well use that as motivation and get better.Pakistan met their victory by copying Misbah-ul-Haqs press-ups celebration,that the captain had pulled out to mark his first-innings century.To a man the touring squad dropped to the Lords turf for 10 press-ups, before rising to salute the Pakistan flag.Former England seamer Tim Bresnan bristled at Pakistans celebration, tweeting That might bite you boys. Karma catches up with you eventually. It did with the Sprinkler, referencing Englands over-used Ashes victory dance. Younis Khan leads the celebrations as Pakistan defeat England at Lords in the first Test of the series. Cook insisted England took no offence from Pakistans on-field victory toasts, before also refusing to blame the absence of Jimmy Anderson and Ben Stokes for their first-Test defeat.Branding the potential second-Test return of both Anderson and Stokes great news, Cook said: It is nice that those two obviously seem back to close to full fitness but we cannot be using that as an excuse as to why we lost.You dont take any offence (to Pakistans celebration), but certainly at that emotive time its not pleasant viewing.Certainly when youve lost a game of cricket for the first 20 minutes or so its not pleasant. They are entitled to do what they want. Its united them and shows what a challenge weve got.Watch day one of the second Test between England and Pakistan live on Sky Sports 2 from 10am this Friday. Also See: Hussain: Amirs redemption Story of Day Four How it happened Pakistans celebrations ' ' '
