Carolina Panthers rookie right tackle Jeff Otah practiced last week with a sore ankle and wanted to play at Tampa Bay, but that didn't stop him from being truthful with coaches on the even of the game.
“The night before (Saturday), it felt pretty sore,” Otah said. “So coach asked how it felt and I said it was sore. So we decided it was better not to go out there and hurt it.”
Otah suffered a high ankle sprain against the Atlanta Falcons on Sept. 28 and hasn't played in the two games since.
“I'd been preparing to play, because you never know, you might wake up one morning and it feels great,” he said. “So you have to be ready.”
Otah said the ankle continues to feel better and he's hopeful he'll be able to play against New Orleans this week.
“I'll just see what the trainers say,” he said.
The Panthers were also without center Ryan Kalil against Tampa due to a sprained ankle. Kalil didn't make the trip. – D.S.
Coach John Fox said he began using Mark Jones on kickoff returns against the Bucs after rookie Jonathan Stewart took a hard hit on the opening kickoff. Fox said he decided not to switch back even though Stewart was healthy enough to play at running back.
“For an instant, Jonathan got hit hard,” said Fox. “That's part of the game, but I don't think he was ready for the next one. As we went on, I think Mark did a real good job and we left him in there.”
Fox he wasn't trying to protect Stewart.
Jones returned four kickoffs for a 21.3-yard average against the Bucs. Stewart's season average is 23.3 yards on 15 returns.
The Panthers' team average of 22.2 yards ranked 24{+t}{+h} in the NFL prior to Monday night's game between the New York Giants and Cleveland Browns. – C.C.
Punter Jason Baker never has had a season like this.
He's had three punts blocked, including two returned for touchdowns. He'd only had two punts blocked in his previous seven years combined.
Baker bobbled the snap on one of the blocks, but the other two happened because of faulty blocking.
“I really don't know, truthfully, what's going on except what I'm doing with the ball in my hands,” Baker said. “Except for the one I mishandled a few weeks ago, we'll have to look at the film to tell you.
“My job is just to go out there and punt the ball. I can't control what happens in front of me, behind me on top of me or on the sidelines. If the (opposing team) came from a helicopter, I wouldn't know the difference.
“I just go out there and try to get off a quality punt, whatever the environment or the circumstances are.”
Baker was asked if he ever gets gun-shy when blocking appears to be breaking down around them.
“I haven't and I won't,” he said. “I could get punts blocked every week and I won't get gun-shy. It won't matter, whether I kick it 60 (yards) or get it blocked.”
Fox said three players injured at Tampa will be day-to-day for practice this week – wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad (sprained knee), linebacker/special teamer Adam Seward (hamstring) and linebacker Thomas Davis (ankle sprain).
Wide receiver D.J. Hackett (knee), defensive tackle Darwin Walker (hamstring), Otah and Kalil also remain on the injury list.
New Orleans, the Panthers' opponent Sunday, ranked second in the NFL in total offense behind the Giants (412.2 yards per game) before New York's game againat Cleveland.
Sunday's home game against the Saints is sold out, but the Panthers have around 1,200 tickets remaining for the Oct. 26 game against Arizona, according to ticket manager Phil Youtsey.
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