If fans in Baltimore who missed Cam Newton playing beach volleyball in the Inner Harbor want to get another glimpse of the reigning NFL MVP, they had better get to M&T Bank Stadium for the start of Thursday's 7:30 p.m. game between the Ravens and the defending NFC champion Carolina Panthers.
Newton is expected to play for the Panthers, presumably as the starter, but he might not go more than a series, according to Carolina coach Ron Rivera.
"Shoot, if we come out and have a real good series to begin with, who knows,'' Rivera said Tuesday after practice in Spartanburg, S.C.
It will likely be one more series than the Ravens use Joe Flacco. Though coach John Harbaugh wouldn't disclose what he planned to do with the 31-year-old quarterback coming off major knee surgery, Flacco is not expected to play against the Panthers.
While backups Ryan Mallett, Josh Johnson and Jerrod Johnson are all expected to take snaps for the Ravens, Derek Anderson and Joe Webb are expected to play most of the way for the Panthers. Anderson was drafted in the sixth round by Baltimore in 2005, but never played in a game for the Ravens.
It will mark the second trip to Baltimore for Newton in less than a month. Newton spent a few hours in July playing beach volleyball at Rash Field after visiting Under Armour's campus with some of his teammates.