It was easy to see Sunday why tight end Greg Olsen is Panthers quarterback Cam Newton’s favorite target and an All-Pro selection. He caught the first three passes Newton threw his way Sunday in Carolina’s 38-0 win with a host of Falcons defenders around him each time.
On his fourth target, Olsen didn’t wrap up in the end zone in the second quarter and was injured on the play. His left leg buckled awkwardly underneath him as he was tackled by a pair of Falcons and he left the game with an injured left knee.
Olsen, a key piece for the 13-0 Panthers, did not return to the game, but afterward both he and Panthers coach Ron Rivera said the injury was not serious. Rivera said he had clearance from medical staff to put Olsen back in the game but chose not to for precautionary reasons.
“He is probably going to be sore for a couple days and we will be careful with him as we go through the week,” Rivera said. “As of right now, everything I’ve been told is he is fine.”
Olson watched the rest of the game in uniform, with a cap on, talking to teammates and coaches on the sideline.
“It’s obviously going to be a little sore but it’s nothing I’m overly concerned about, nothing that we haven’t dealt with before,” Olsen said.
He acknowledged in the moment, though, it did give him a scare.
“I don’t usually stay down,” he said. “I got my leg twisted up there funny when I went back and my foot stuck in the dirt. I was a little concerned at the beginning but once I got up and got on my feet and started walking, I was pretty confident that it was stable and I was going to be OK.”
The news wasn’t as good for Panthers cornerback Bene Benwikere, who suffered a broken leg in the game and is likely out for the rest of the year. Benwikere had been starting in place of Charles Tillman, who has missed five games with a hyperextended knee. Benwikere’s injury could expedite Tillman’s return to action and will have the Panthers re-evaluating players on their practice squad as well.
“These next couple of days are going to be very critical for where (Tillman) is,” Rivera said. “And it might influence our decision.”
Tailback Jonathan Stewart left the game with a foot injury after rushing for 75 yards on 10 carries but Rivera said the injury wasn’t serious and he could have returned to the game.
