Chat » Panthers undrafted rookie Kyle Allen

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — turned in a promising first NFL start — until he hurt his shoulder.Whether the New Orleans defense that Allen victimized was entirely dialed in is another matter.Allen passed for 228 yards and two touchdowns before his injury in the fourth quarter Stitched Daryl Williams Jersey , and Carolina cruised to a 33-14 victory over a Saints squad looking ahead to the playoffs.“It was incredible. I just felt at home right when I got on the field,” said Allen, who lost starting roles in college at both Texas A&M and Houston, and who was not on Carolina’s roster for part of this season. “This league is filled with opportunities, and guys that stay in the league for a long time are the guys that take advantage of those.”A third-stringer pressed into service with Cam Newton and backup Taylor Heinicke out, Allen also ran for a short touchdown as Carolina snapped a seven-game slide. He led the Panthers to three TDs and a field goal on their first four drives. His day ended prematurely when he was hit hard by Saints rookie end Marcus Davenport while releasing an incomplete pass. Allen said he felt pain in his right shoulder while throwing on the sideline afterward, but that he did not think the injury was serious.Carolina (7-9) led 23-0 at halftime, marking the first time since coach Sean Payton was hired by New Orleans in 2006 that the Saints (13-3) were shut out at home in a first half.“We can spin it any way we want to. We didn’t play well,” Payton said. “From the get-go, it was obvious. So you take that personally as a coach Youth Michael Palardy Jersey , and it’s disappointing.”Allen’s touchdowns went for 53 yards to receiver Curtis Samuel and 8 yards to tight end Ian Thomas.Having already clinched the NFC’s top seed, Payton scratched several healthy offensive starters, including record-setting quarterback Drew Brees and dynamic second-year running back Alvin Kamara.By not playing, Brees finished the regular season with an NFL record 74.4 percent completion rate for a single season, breaking the mark of 72 percent he set last season.His replacement for the finale, Teddy Bridgewater, started an NFL game for the first time since the 2015 season. The move gave Bridgewater a chance to rebuild his credentials as a potential NFL starter after missing most of the past two seasons with a career-threating knee injury.“It was a pretty cool moment, just running back out there. It’s been a long time, but I’m grateful for that moment, grateful for that opportunity Stitched Michael Palardy Jersey ,” Bridgewater said. “Honestly, I just wanted to get back into the rhythm of playing football. That was my biggest goal.”Bridgewater completed 14 of 22 passes for 118 yards, one touchdown and one interception.The Panthers scored the game’s first two TDs on Allen’s 1-yard keeper and Cameron Artis-Payne’s 15-yard run, and New Orleans fell behind 30-0 before scoring its first points on Bridgewater’s 9-yard pass to rookie Tre’Quan Smith early in the fourth quarter.Saints third-string QB Taysom Hill added a 9-yard TD on a read-option run.The Saints had little at stake other than the opportunity to secure the franchise’s first 14-win regular season. They’ve gone 13-3 three times, all under Payton in 2009, 2011 and this season. The 2009 team won the Super Bowl.RECEIVING RECORDSaints receiver Michael Thomas came in needing 24 yards to break Joe Horn’s single-season franchise mark of 1,399 yards receiving in 2004. Thomas started, but with the Saints’ offense struggling to sustain drives, it took until the first minute of the fourth quarter before Thomas eclipsed Horn’s mark with a 6-yard catch. The Saints were clearly keeping track; numerous teammates congratulated Thomas right after the catch.“It’s a blessing,” Thomas said. “I feel like I’m going to be judged on my progress year in and year out.”RARE COMPAMYWith his 22-yard reception in the first quarter — his only reception of the game — Christian McCaffrey became the third running back in NFL history to have 1 Youth Julius Peppers Jersey ,500 yards rushing and receiving in his first two NFL seasons combined. He joined Kamara and Herschel Walker.INJURIESPanthers: Allen was replaced by newly signed reserve Garrett Gilbert, who went 2 for 3 for 40 yards.Saints: Versatile offensive lineman Andrus Peat, who normally starts at left guard but also has played both tackle positions this season, left in the first half with a hand injury.UP NEXTPanthers: Start their offseason with questions surrounding the futures of several prominent players, including linebacker Thomas Davis, safety Mike Adams and receiver Devin Funchess, who have expiring contracts. Center Ryan Kalil already said he’d retire after the season and coach Ron Rivera said he was “assuming” the 38-year-old Peppers would, too.Sunday’s victory, Rivera said, “was probably the best way to send Ryan and Pepp off on their way — two great Panthers.”Saints: Host their playoff opener in the divisional round on the weekend of Jan. 12-13. SPARTANBURG Stitched Julius Peppers Jersey , S.C. (AP) — Linebacker Thomas Davis wants to play for the Panthers beyond this season — if the team will have him back.The 35-year-old Davis, who is entering his 14th season with Carolina, will be an unrestricted free after this season.“If the team is willing to have me back, I will be back,” Davis said Monday following training camp practice at Wofford College.Davis, the Panthers’ all-time leading tackler, will begin the season serving a four-game NFL-imposed suspension after testing positive for a banned performance-enhancing substance — a blemish on an otherwise stellar NFL career that has included returning from three torn ACLs in the same knee to earn All-Pro in 2015, three Pro Bowls selections (2015-17) and the Walter Payton Man of the Year award.He doesn’t want to end his career serving a suspension during his final season.“I just look at the way things transpired this offseason and I think back to my legacy and the things I have been able to do as a football player and I don’t want to leave on a sour note,” Davis said. “You never want to walk away from the game knowing you served a four-game suspension. That is really my mindset right now. So as long as I am able to continue to play football I will do that.”With Davis sitting out the first four games, Shaq Thompson will fill Davis’ spot at weak side linebacker and David Mayo is expected to start at strong side linebacker. It’s unclear at this point if Davis would be in the starting lineup when he returns.Davis is allowed to participate in all practices and preseason games Youth Da’Norris Searcy Jersey , but must step away from the team altogether on Sept. 3. He plans to spend that time staying in shape and watching his sons play youth football.He also has “a couple of offers” to do some other things during the first four weeks of the season, but would not elaborate on whether those opportunities television-related.Davis has been a productive player for the Panthers despite suffering the three knee injuries in consecutive seasons — 2009, 2010 and 2011 — which limited him to nine games and threatened to end his career.But he persevered and followed that up with five straight 100-tackle seasons and three Pro Bowls.However, his numbers dropped off last year. Davis registered 76 tackles, 2 sacks and no interceptions as Thompson took on a bigger role in the defense.Panthers coach Ron Rivera did not address Davis’ future beyond this season, saying only “Thomas has been a great player for us. And I look forward to Thomas playing for us.”Panthers general manager Marty Hurney was not immediately available for comment.With his future beyond this season up in the air, Davis said he is enjoying every moment of training camp despite the sweltering heat.“I come out and embrace it every day, talking trash at a high level every day to Cam (Newton) daily and just coming out and competing and having fun with my teammates,” Davis said.