NEWS » a 13-2 run that allowed the Bearcats (2-0)

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Derek Anderson is preparing as if he will start Monday night against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with Cam Newton still in the leagues concussion protocol.The 33-year-old Anderson took reps with Carolinas first-team offense for the second straight day , while Newton did not attend the teams outdoor practice.Panthers coach Ron Rivera offered little in terms of an update on Newtons playing status, saying he wont make a decision on the 2015 MVP until later this week.We are not forcing players to get onto the football field, Rivera said emphatically Thursday. We will do exactly as the protocol tells us and what the doctors and experts tell us.The NFL is still investigating how the Panthers handled a helmet-to-helmet hit Newton took in the fourth quarter of a Week 1 loss to the Denver Broncos. Newton stayed in and completed that game despite a ferocious blow to the head. NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told The Associated Press on Thursday the league had no update on that investigation.Newton was one of six starters who didnt practice Thursday.Running back Jonathan Stewart (hamstring), left tackle Michael Oher (concussion), defensive end Charles Johnson (quad), linebacker Thomas Davis (hamstring) and cornerback James Bradberry (foot) also sat out. Six other starters, including wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr., were limited in practice as the injuries continue to mount for the struggling Panthers (1-3).The Panthers have absolute confidence in Anderson should he be pressed into a starting role, according to Rivera.Anderson is 20-25 as an NFL starter, but 2-0 since joining the Panthers six years ago. Coincidentally, both of those wins came against the Buccaneers in 2014.Hes done a great job for us, Rivera said. Hes been here the whole time and has been very steady. And guys have confidence in him as well, and thats very important.Rivera said the game plan wouldnt change if Anderson starts, although he joked he probably would elect to hand the ball off more than Newton when it comes to running the read option.Newton has struggled so far this season with only six touchdown passes and five interceptions in four starts. He has been sacked 13 times.Newton left last Sundays game against Atlanta in the fourth quarter when he took a hit from Falcons linebacker Deion Jones on a 2-point conversion run. Anderson relieved Newton and threw two touchdown passes to get Carolina back in the game. However, two costly interceptions of Anderson in the closing minutes, and the defenses inability to get a stop, were costly in the 48-33 loss.The Panthers face the Saints the following Sunday and then have a bye, so its possible the team could err on the side of caution and keep the franchise quarterback out until Oct. 30.If I do end up playing I want to prepare and not let my teammates down, Anderson said. I know the expectations are high and the bar has been set here. ... We still have a lot of good football players in this room and we can turn this thing around.If Anderson starts, look for him to key on tight end Greg Olsen.Olsen caught 18 passes for 193 yards and a touchdown in the two games Anderson started against Tampa Bay in 2014. The duo also hooked up for a touchdown and a 2-point conversion last week against the Falcons.Hes probably better than a lot of starters in this league, Olsen said of Anderson. Were happy to have him and lucky to have him.Game notesIf Oher cant play, the Panthers will again move Mike Remmers to left tackle and start Daryl Williams at right tackle against the Bucs (1-3). ... Stewart has missed the last two games with a hamstring injury but is making progress running in the pool, Rivera said. Cameron Artis-Payne will split carries with change-of-pace back Fozzy Whittaker if Stewart remains out of action. ... Rookie Daryl Worley will see increased action if Bradberry isnt able to start.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFLCheap China Jerseys . -- Arizona raced out to a big lead and did not back off, hitting the accelerator instead. Wholesale Authentic NBA Jerseys . Zvonareva, who won the tournament in 2009 and 10, couldnt handle her opponents big groundstrokes in only her third event back after 17 months out with a shoulder injury. 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Those players were Dallas Stars 2012 first-rounder Radek Faksa, Winnipeg Jets 2013 fourth-rounder Jan Kostalek and Phoenix Coyotes 2012 seventh-rounder Marek Langhamer.CINCINNATI -- Once Cincinnati applied a little pressure, everything became easy.Jacob Evans III had nine points during a run that put Cincinnati in control midway through the second half, and the 24th-ranked Bearcats overcame cold shooting and a sloppy start to beat Albany 74-51 on Monday night.In the second half, we wanted to come out and play harder, Evans said. We came out and tried to turn up the defense. We scored off our defense.Evans 3-pointer started a 13-2 run that allowed the Bearcats (2-0) to finally shake loose. They went only 5 of 21 from beyond the arc, but Evans finished with 19 points.David Nichols scored 13 points and Joe Cremo had 12 for Albany (1-1), which self-destructed with 22 turnovers -- 11 in each half. Cremo had eight of them.They took the ball out of our hands, Albany coach Will Brown said. They got real physical with us. I think our inexperience on the perimeter as a whole with our starting group showed a little bit today.Cincinnati led only 29-27 at halftime as the Bearcats shot 33 percent from the field and got outrebounded 19-15. There was one tie and 10 lead changes, and neither team could make shots consistently. Cincinnati, however, outscored Albany 40-18 over the final 15 minutes of the game.The scouting report was that they were limited at the point guard position, said guard Troy Caupain, who had four steals. So in practice, we worked on getting after each other.NEW LEADEREvans had 23 points in the opening win, and led the offense again on Monday, asserting himself as a scoring threat in his seccond season.ddddddddddddThat takes the pressure off all of us, me included, Caupain said.PESKY DEFENSECincinnati guard Justin Jenifer scored only six points but had three steals and helped to lead the strong closing flourish. Bearcats coach Mick Cronin envisions Jenifer as a defensive specialist who can change the game with pressure on the ball.He has really embraced it, Cronin said. He was like Speedy Gonzalez out there. Thats what hes got to be. I thought Justin really gave us an influx of energy.POLL IMPLICATIONSCincinnati moved into the Top 25 on Monday after a season-opening 84-55 win over Brown. The Bearcats will have a chance to move up -- or get knocked out -- during their upcoming weekend tournament.BIG PICTUREAlbany: The Great Danes opened the season with their first victory over a Big Ten team, winning at Penn State 87-81 on Friday. They kept it close against Cincinnati for more than a half, before their turnovers helped Cincinnati pull away.Cincinnati: The Bearcats have struggled to hit outside shots the last few seasons, relying on their defense to generate points. They had the same issues on Monday, when they pulled away by getting 24 points off turnovers.UP NEXTAlbany: Hosts Oneonta on Wednesday in its first home game.Cincinnati: Plays No. 21 Rhode Island on Saturday in the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame Tip-Off in Connecticut.---More AP college basketball: http://collegebasketball.ap.org ' ' '