"If it wasn't already a forgone conclusion before tonight's game even began, there was no question as to who would start the season at quarterback for Carolina after the opening drive.

After leading the team down the field, Cam Newton threw his first (and only) preseason touchdown to Greg Olsen. After throwing the touchdown, he spent the rest of the game on the sidelines to think about the season opener against Arizona.

It's no secret that Rivera and the coaching staff have been grooming Newton for the starting role and hoping that he would decisively win it tonight. I mean he was the No. 1 pick for a reason, right?

He didn't set the world on fire in any of the exhibitions, but he did just enough to show that he's the team's best option under center—and that's step one.

After resisting the urge to change the station after Newton left (a.k.a. losing the remote), I was pleasantly surprised to see Derek Anderson come in for the next two quarters. Jimmy Clausen had underachieved the past two games, but Anderson never saw the field after tossing a touchdown in the preseason opener."