Carolina Panthers team report: Rivera running out of LBs
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CHARLOTTE -- The Panthers listed only three players on their injury report Thursday. Unfortunately for head coach Ron Rivera, two of them were linebackers.
Starting outside backer James Anderson left practice early after rolling his ankle. Anderson, the Panthers' leading tackler, becomes the latest linebacker to wind up in the training room this season.
The injuries started the first two weeks of the season when captains Jon Beason and Thomas Davis were lost for the year. Omar Gaither missed two weeks with a knee sprain, while Thomas Williams was placed on injured reserve this week with a neck stinger.
The Panthers have started seven linebackers this season. One of them -- Jason Phillips -- hasn't practiced in two weeks because of a strained calf and could miss Sunday's game against Tennessee. Rivera said there was "a little bit of concern" with Anderson, but later predicted Anderson would be OK to play against the Titans.
Anderson was receiving treatment and unavailable for comment.
If Anderson and Phillips are out, the Panthers would be down to four healthy linebackers -- Gaither, Dan Connor, Jason Williams and Jordan Senn, who is primarily a special teams player.
Rivera said DE Antwan Applewhite, who played linebacker in San Diego's 3-4 scheme, would be the emergency linebacker against the Titans.
Notes: Kick returner Mike Goodson was the third player on the injury report. Goodson, inactive the last four games while rookie Kealoha Pilares has returned kicks, pulled his left hamstring during practice. He was scheduled to undergo an MRI exam to determine the severity of the injury.
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