Reeder's Take

   The NCAA announced that it has found no major violations committed by Auburn quarterback Cam Newton or any other pay-for-play allegations at the university, according to a statement released by the Associated Press.

    The NCAA said it has closed its 13-month investigation into Auburn’s recruitment of the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback, whose father shopped his services to another school for nearly $200,000.

   Attempts to reach Newton were unsuccessful.

   The NCAA also cleared Auburn in allegations by four former players that they received payments during their recruitment or careers. In the statement the NCAA says “any allegations of major rules violations must meet a burden of proof, which is a higher standard than rampant public speculation online and in the media.”

   Carolina’s inactives include RB Mike Goodson, LB Thomas Williams, QB Jimmy Clausen, CB Josh Thomas, DT Andre Neblett, OT Lee  Ziemba and DT Frank Kearse.

   Goodson has been benched after mishandling a kickoff last week against Chicago. Either Kealoha Pilares or Jordan Pugh will handle kickoff returns today.

   Williams, who broke up a final pass by rookie QB Blaine Gabbert in Carolina’s lone win this season against Jacksonville, is inactive as the Panthers have newcomer Jason Phillips up instead. Also, DE Antwan Applewhite and S Jermale Hines, who players who signed earlier this week, are active for the Panthers.

   The Saints will be without three starters including C Olin Kreutz, who is inactive along with LB Will Herring, T Zach Strief, TE David Thomas, WR Adrian Arrington, LB Martez Wilson and DE Jeff Charleston. Brian de la Puente starts for Kreutz, while RT Charles Brown will go for Strief. On defense, Jo-Lonn Dunbar gets the nod over Herring.

Coach: Sean Payton, 6th season (52-32 regular season, 4-2 postseason).

Series History: 33rd regular-season meeting. Panthers lead series 17-15. The Saints swept last year’s season series, including a 34-3 blowout last November.

Last week: The Saints defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars to improve to 3-1 on the season, while the Panthers lost a heartbreaker to the Chicago Bears 34-29.

Offensive player to watch: QB Drew Brees. Believe it or not He’s actually thrown for more yards this season than Cam Newton. Brees has completed 69 percent of his passes for 1,410 yards with 10 touchdowns and four interceptions for a quarterback rating of 102.9. Brees’ 70.6 completion percentage in 2009 set a single-season NFL record. He’s one of the hardest workers in the game, tirelessly preparing for an opponent. He spits the ball out extremely quick and plays in an offensive system conducive to his skills.

Defensive player to watch: MLB Jonathan Vilma. He plays a lot like Jon Beason, always swarming to the ball. Now in his fourth season with the Saints (eighth overall), Vilma has been to three Pro Bowls. He has 19 stops and one fumble recovery this season. He’s the heart and soul of the Saints defense.

Special teams player to watch:  KR/PR Darren Sproles. Sproles is kind of the do-it-all guy for the Saints, returning kicks and punts, running the ball and receiving. Signed as a free agent from San Diego, he’s basically taken the place of Reggie Bush, but many, including Panthers cornerback Captain Munnerlyn, believe he’s better in this system than Bush was. Sproles is averaging 17.8 yards per punt return and already has a 72-yard touchdown. He’s averaging 27.9 yards per kickoff return with a long of 57. Given Carolina’s troubles on special teams, Sproles could be a huge factor in Sunday’s game.

By the Numbers: 13 – Number of sacks already this season for the Saints.

My take: The Saints blitzed more than any team in the league last season under coordinator Gregg Williams and don’t expect them to change that strategy this week in facing a rookie like Newton. Carolina’s defense has its work cut out for them against a very talented offense that includes a vastly improved running game led by Mark Ingram, Pierre Thomas and Sproles.

   Coach Ron Rivera informed reporters on Friday that either Kealoha Pilares or Jordan Pugh will return kickoffs instead of Mike Goodson. Goodson has struggled with fumbles and last Sunday mishandled a kickoff. Goodson ranked 20th in the NFL in kickoff return average but was benched mid-game last week for Pugh.

   My guess is the Panthers give Pilares a shot, as he’s clearly faster than Pugh.

   On the injury front, the Panthers should have all hands on deck. Everyone practiced on Friday. Five players are listed as probable, including TE Jeremy Shockey and OT Jeff Otah, but everyone is expected to play.

   Tight end Jeremy Shockey could be the latest Carolina Panther to miss a game with a concussion.

   Shockey was held out of practice Wednesday and will be reevaluated later in the week, according to head coach Ron Rivera. Starting offensive linemen Jeff Otah and Geoff Hangartner also missed practiced as well dealing with back injuries.

   “We’re just going through the concussion protocol and we’re getting to the point, and I hate to say it, but we’ve had one a week,” coach Ron Rivera said of Shockey, who took a shot to the head on a field goal attempt in Sunday’s loss to Chicago. “We’re concerned obviously but we won’t know more until Thursday morning. That’s probably the best time to judge because the last couple of weeks it’s been Thursday mornings they don’t feel good, they don’t play; if Thursday morning is good, they play.”

   Since Week 2, the Panthers have had one starter each week out because of a concussion.

   In Week 2 it was Otah. The following week it safety Charles Godfrey and this past Sunday it was cornerback Chris Gamble who sat out with a concussion.

   Gamble returned to practice on Wednesday.

   Shockey was not fined this week for comments he made about the officiating following the Bears game. Shockey was upset when officials flagged him for pass interference, nullifying his 22-yard touchdown reception. He said after the game he wanted an explanation from the league’s officiating office because he didn’t get one on the field.

  The Panthers have made a few roster moves after Sunday’s 34-29 loss to the Chicago Bears.

   The team cut DE George Selvie and S Sean Considine and signed DE/OLB Antwan Applewhite and claimed S Jermale Hines off waivers from Indianapolis.

   Applewhite (6-3, 258) played three seasons under Ron Rivera in San Diego and was used primarily as an outside linebacker in their 3-4 scheme, but the Panthers list him as a defensive end. He didn’t see much action his first two seasons with the Chargers, but got extensive action last year, starting 13 games with 48 tackles, three sacks, two forced fumbles and two pass breakups. He was a free agent and hasn’t played this season.

   Hines was a fifth-round draft pick by St. Louis this year, but was cut after three games and claimed by Indianapolis. He spent less than a week there and was waived again. Considine was responsible for a missed tackle on Devin Hester’s 69-yard punt return which might have been his undoing.

   The Panthers also made a practice squad move, waiving CB Kendric Burney from North Carolina and adding LB Kion Wilson, who spent last with the Chargers as well.

   Judging by the comments made last week by Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Mike Vick and Washington Redskins cornerback DeAngelo Hall, it’s highly unlikely Carolina Panthers tight end Jeremy Shockey will get fined for his comments made after Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears.

   Shockey was asked about being called for offensive pass interference in the third quarter of Sunday’s game, which nullified a potential game-changing 22-yard touchdown reception which would have been his first as a Panther. He was upset about the call on the field and it carried over to the locker room.

   “I don’t know,” Shockey said after the game. “Maybe the official saw something I didn’t. I would like the league to go back and look at that and given an explanation because it was a key play in the game and that call right there… that hurts our team’s momentum.”

   Replays showed Shockey barely touched Chicago Bears defensive back Charles Tillman around the 10-yard line, but the flag didn’t come until after Shockey hauled in the pass in the end zone. Shockey was upset after the call and tried to get an explanation from the official as to what he did wrong, but said he was told to move on to the next play.

   “We pay their salary and I can’t get an explanation,” Shockey said. “So I would like to see the explanation when (the officials) do get graded. I don’t understand. I have no idea. There were a couple of things out there where I asked them the question and they don’t tell me (anything). They should be held accountable as well. They get paid a lot of money. They get to hang out and do whatever they do before the game and fly for free and do all kinds of (stuff) for free. So it’s very disappointing and disheartening. I don’t know what else to say.

   “I haven’t seen the film yet, but I know for a fact the flag was thrown after I was in the end zone and I was by myself. I hope the league reviews it because I’m baffled. I don’t know what the (expletive) they were thinking. He had no words for it. He said to move on to the next play and soon the (expletive) game is over.”

   Jeff Otah is active for the Panthers and will start.

   If the Panthers follow suit, look for Byron Bell to replace Otah for a series or two in the second quarter. 

   As we previously reported, CB Chris Gamble is out with a concussion and will be replaced in the starting lineup by Darius Butler.  

   Today’s inactives for the Panthers include: QB Jimmy Clausen, CB Chris Gamble, FB Richie Brockel, LB Jason Phillips, DT Andre Neblett, OT Lee Ziemba and DT Frank Kearse.

   For the Bears, QB Nathan Edwards, S Chris Harris (hamstring), T Gabe Carimi, WR Earl Bennett, TE Matt Spaeth, DT Stephen Paea and DE Mario Anderson are inactive.

   No surprise here, but CB Chris Gamble did not make the trip to Chicago and has beeen ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Bears. That means Darius Butler will start as expected.

   OT Jeff Otah did make the trip and remains questionable with a back injury.