start Sunday against the Chargers as normal.There was a

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Panthers coach Ron Rivera said he benched reigning league MVP Cam Newton on Sunday night because he didnt want chaos setting in with his football team.Rivera opened his press conference Wednesday with a stern statement, hoping it will put to rest his much-publicized decision to not start Newton in a game the Panthers lost 40-7 to the Seahawks.I am going to address this situation one last time -- I made a decision based on rules. I treat everybody the same, Rivera said. The reason you do it, especially when you are having a tough season, is because chaos can consume your football team. The idea was to do the right thing, treat everybody the same. I have done it before where I have had to treat people the same, and thats all I have done. Thats the end of it. Please, as the football team would like to move forward and start focusing on the San Diego Chargers.Rivera kept the sixth-year quarterback out for one series against the Seahawks because Newton violated a team rule by not wearing a tie on the team flight to Seattle. He wore a turtleneck instead.The coach said after his comments Wednesday that he wouldnt answer any other questions about the situation.Newton didnt address the media at all, as is his normal routine on Wednesdays since coming into the league in 2011 as the teams No. 1 draft pick. Team officials said it was because the Panthers were working on a later schedule than normal after returning from the West Coast on Monday. Newton is expected to address the media on Thursday, team officials said.Tight end Greg Olsen said hes confident the Panthers wont let Riveras decision to discipline Newton split the teams locker room, calling that idea a media-driven story line.There has been zero comments that I have seen that have been anything other than positive, and everyone saying the same thing, Olsen said. The idea that there has been a divide... is complete and utter nonsense.Players were careful not to take sides on Wednesday.I feel like the situation was handled pretty good, tight end Ed Dickson said. Newton took ownership of it, from his mouth, it will never happen again. We will move on from that situation. Hes still our leader of the offense.San Diego Chargers coach Mike McCoy, who spent eight seasons as an assistant coach in Carolina, said NFL coaches are often forced to make tough decisions.You have to make a decision on what you think is right for your team, McCoy said. As a head coach that is your job and your responsibility to the organization. ... Thats the role you are in.The Panthers (4-8) are all but out of playoff contention one year after reaching the Super Bowl and losing 24-10 to the Denver Broncos, and things have gone downhill fast because of injuries and an inability to win close games.Rivera is hoping the Panthers can find a way to win out and avoid their fourth losing season in six years.Newton will start Sunday against the Chargers as normal.There was a bright side for the Panthers on Wednesday, as three defensive starters -- middle linebacker Luke Kuechly, safety Kurt Coleman and cornerback Daryl Worley -- all returned to practice on a limited basis.Rivera, however, said all three are still in the leagues concussion protocol for now but that Kuechlys return brought energy to the practice field.Defensive ends Mario Addison (ankle) and Charles Johnson (hamstring), linebacker David Mayo (concussion), right tackle Daryl Williams (ankle) and running back Jonathan Stewart (rest) did not practice.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Balenciaga Schuhe Schweiz Kaufen . With the first unit struggling of late and Amir Johnson - one of the teams iron men - hobbling on an injured right ankle, Patterson knew he could get the nod in a challenging matchup against one of the leagues up and coming players at his position. Balenciaga Schuhe Schweiz China . The 19-year-old Olsen played 34 games with the Kelowna Rockets of the WHL this season. In that time, hes recorded 17 goals and 17 assists with 36 penalty minutes. http://www.schweizbalenciaga.ch/ . The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the Lions have not announced the hiring, which was first reported by ESPN. Lombardi, the grandson of former Green Bay Hall of Fame coach Vince Lombardi, has been an offensive assistant on Sean Paytons New Orleans staff since 2007. Balenciaga Schuhe Schweiz . -- Playing time has been limited for Maxim Tissot this season, so the Montreal Impact defender made the most of his first scoring opportunity on Saturday. Günstig Balenciaga Schuhe Schweiz .Y. -- Injured Buffalo Sabres forward Marcus Foligno did not practice with the team Monday and head coach Ron Rolston said its unlikely hell play in Wednesdays season opener in Detroit. Olympic sprinter Tyson Gay is entered in this weeks USA Bobsled National Push Championships, making him the latest track star to give sledding a try.The push championships start Wednesday in Calgary, Alberta, and are the first step toward a potential spot on this seasons national team.Gay has competed in each of the past three Summer Olympics. He was part of a team that won a silver medal in the 4x100-meter relay at the London Games in 2012, though that medal was ultimately stripped after Gay tested positive for steroids at the U.S. championships in 2013 and served a one-year suspension. He also had all results annulled going back to July 15, 2012, a period that included that years Olympic competition.One runner who lost his London silver medal because of Gays positive test was Ryan Bailey, another bobsled rookie who is scheduled to compete in the push championships.Im still not over it, Bailey said last month, referring to having his medal taken away.Now they could be teammates once again.Bailey has impressed coaches so far, especially after winning the preliminary push championships on dry land in Lake Placid, New York, last month. This competition takes place on ice and Gay has been practicing sled-pushing for only a few days, according to USA Bobsled and Skeleton.But Gays speed figures to give him a chance to make a huge splash. His all-time best in the 100 meters is 9.69 seconds, a time bettered only by three-time reigning Olympic 100 champion and world-record holder Usain Bolt of Jamaica.Gay won world championship gold medals in 2007 in the 100- and 200-meter dashes, as well as part of the 4x100-meter relay.His 2008 Olympics were troubled by a bad hamstring that hurt his chances of medaling individuallyy, and a bad handoff in the 4x100 knocked the U.ddddddddddddS. out of the mix in that event. His 2012 Olympics were erased by the positive test, and what could have been a bronze medal in the relay at Rio last month was lost when the Americans were found to have made a bad handoff and were disqualified again.The Rio relay debacle was the ninth time since 1995 that the U.S. men were disqualified or failed to get the baton around at the Olympics or world championships. That doesnt include the medal that was lost in London after Gays doping ban.It has to be the worst luck for this country ever, Gay said in Rio. Its always something weird, stupid, simple mistakes that always cost us, and I dont understand.He might have a shot at joining a different sort of four-man team, one that runs together for a few seconds and then hops into a sled for a thrill ride down an icy mountainside chute.Gay follows a long line of speedsters who will try to push a sled, a list that includes Lauryn Williams -- a medalist in both the Summer and Winter Games -- as well as longtime U.S. hurdles star Lolo Jones, Rio Games double gold medalist Tianna Bartoletta and former mens competitors Edwin Moses, Willie Davenport and Renaldo Nehemiah.Jones, a 2014 Sochi Olympian, will be in the womens push competition, as will 2014 Olympic bronze medalist Aja Evans.In all, 56 competitors are entered in the championships, which start with solo events Wednesday and combination events Friday and Saturday. Drivers will analyze results before selecting their team for national team trials, which begin in Lake Placid next month. ' ' '