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Sorry Jimmy Clausen bandwagon. Passengers need to start hopping off and finding their way through the swamps.
Cam Newton has been unsurprisingly named the starter for the Carolina Panthers for opening day. Newton didn't have a great preseason (he didn't even complete 50% of his passes), but it was still better than anything Clausen gave the Panthers. Clausen is now on the outside looking in and could be wondering about his security in Carolina in the near future.
Meanwhile, Newton's first target will be the Arizona Cardinals, Carolina's opening opponent in Week 1 of the 2011 regular season. Arizona was one of the worst defenses in the NFL last season, and was particularly gashed against the run. That sings sweet music to a guy like Newton, who if he ever finds trouble in the pocket, can always start taking off forward and giving Cardinals fans all sorts of fits.
For more on the Cardinals, head to Revenge of the Birds. For more on the Panthers, go to Cat Scratch Reader.