By Tim Booth, AP Sports Writer
SEATTLE — A missing necktie led to Carolina quarterback Cam Newton getting benched for one series on Sunday night.
Ron Rivera didn’t expect it to last just one play. One disastrous play that created a most awkward of beginnings, and defined the Panthers’ 40-7 blowout loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
“We didn’t lose this game because of a tie,” Newton said. “It was a lot of execution errors. Including a lot of things where we had our opportunities and we failed at it.”
The Panthers’ first offensive play ended up being a pass by Derek Anderson that deflected off Mike Tolbert’s hands and into the arms of linebacker Mike Morgan, but that play didn’t cost Carolina the game.