Looks like it's going to be a lost season for Cam Newton. The foot injury that kept him out of Week 3 and got him a Monday rule out for Week 4 has been diagnosed as a Lisfranc injury. He's looking at an extended absence.
The team itself hasn't given a timetable, but we can make some guesses. Typically this a 4-8 week injury, at least, and since Carolina has a bye in Week 7, it's pretty much a given that Newton will miss the next three games. If he returned in Week 8, that would be a five-week recovery period, but that doesn't seem long enough. I'm not going to be surprised if he winds up on IR, which would keep him out at least eight weeks.
Which brings us to Kyle Allen. I saw his highlights against Arizona, which included 4 TD passes, and initially I shrugged it off. There were a couple of easy throws (somehow Carolina got away with a pick play at the goal line on a Greg Olsen touchdown), and Arizona is pretty bad on defense; trying to get by without both of their starting cornerbacks.
But after watching the entire game, I came away pretty impressed by Allen. Arizona was getting some pressure on him (they're not bad up front), but Allen hung in there and made some really good throws. How he goes undrafted and Gardner Minshew falls to the sixth round is another indictment of NFL scouting departments, which also let Lamar Jackson fall nearly out of the first round and Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson to 10 and 12 -- meanwhile Mitchell Trubisky goes 2nd overall.
Back to Allen. I think he looks good, and I'm going after him in the league where I lost Newton and Brees (and picked up Mason Rudolph last week). Allen, who also put up 3 total touchdowns in his lone start a year ago (against a Saints defense resting everyone in Week 17, true), looks legit to me.
This is not to say Allen will be the next Kurt Warner. No need to add him if you're comfortable with a good starter and viable backup at quarterback. But I'm not the least bit concerned about DJ Moore, Curtis Samuel or Greg Olsen with Allen in the lineup. The passing game won't necessarily be any worse -- might be better than it was with Newton.
--Andy Richardson