Notes and quotes in the aftermath of the Carolina Panthers' 17-12 victory Sunday against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium:
Cam Newton and Tim Tebow together again: QB Cam Newton backed up Tim Tebow at the University of Florida in 2007 and 2008. They were on the same field again. Newton started for the Panthers and went 6 for 15 for 60 yards. He had one TD, a three-yard pass to WR Louis Murphy, and ran twice for 16 yards. Tebow came on after starter Mark Sanchez and went 4 of 14 for 55 yards and an interception. He ran 5 times for 45 yards.
Jonathan Stewart hurt: Late in the second quarter, RB Jonathan Stewart rolled his right ankle and limped off the field. The team sent him to the locker room on a cart and declared him out for the rest of the game. Afterward, coach Ron Rivera said X-rays were negative, but Stewart won’t play in the team’s final preseason game against Pittsburgh.
Thomas Davis returns: LB Thomas Davis, attempting to become the first NFL player to return from tearing the same ACL three times, played in his first preseason game of the season. His first snap was a third-and-7, and Davis sacked Mark Sanchez for an 8-yard loss. “The sack was definitely icing on the cake for me tonight,” Davis said on the Panthers postgame radio broadcast. “My right knee felt great tonight.”
Position battles: The roster will be cut to 75 by Monday afternoon, and Rivera hinted that he wanted to make a decision in the kicking and punting competitions by first cuts. There weren’t many clutch opportunities for Ks Olindo Mare or Justin Medlock. Mare hit the only FG attempt of the game for Carolina, a 33-yarder. Mare put his two kickoffs four yards into the end zone, but they were returned. Medlock sent one kickoff to the goal line and the other a yard deep. At punter, Nick Harris had the better average, but Brad Nortman put a punt inside the 20.
For more up-to-the-minute news and analysis on the Carolina Panthers from blogger Shawn Krest, follow @CBSSportsNFLCAR.