CHARLOTTE Ben Powers Jersey , N.C. (AP) of Cam Newton’s injury during a playoff loss to the New Orleans Saints on Jan. 7. The NFL and the Players Association announced Wednesday that Carolina’s medical staff correctly followed concussion protocol guidelines. The league released a statement Wednesday saying it reviewed game footage and medical reports, as well as statements and interviews with Newton and coach Ron Rivera, before making its determination that ”there was no protocol violation.” After walking off the field with a second-half eye injury, Newton stumbled to the ground near the sideline when asked by trainers to take a knee. The league said they believe that stumble was caused by a previous knee injury. The NFL said the league’s 2015 MVP had an MRI on Jan. 8 that ”confirmed ligament and cartilage damage and very extensive swelling in the knee.” Panthers interim general manager Marty Hurney told The Associated Press on Wednesday that Newton will not need surgery on the knee. Newton sat out one play, but returned on the next offensive series and finished the game. Hurney said on Jan. 8 that Newton intentionally took a knee because he was told to by the team’s training staff so Carolina could get an official timeout, thus allowing backup quarterback Derek Anderson a little more time to warm up on the sideline. Anderson came in for one third-down play and threw an incompletion. ”He took a hit,” Hurney said of Newton. ”But when he walked off and he told the trainers he got poked in the eye http://www.ravensauthorizedshops.com/authentic-iman-marshall-jersey , then they did take him into the tent and checked him for a concussion, which he did not have. And it was really getting poked in the eye.” Up for debate in the investigation was whether Newton should have been taken to the locker room for evaluations. The league and the players union changed its concussion protocol in December after Texans quarterback Tom Savage returned to the field after having a concussion that left the quarterback’s hands shaking following a hit. The changes to the protocol include the requirement of a locker room concussion evaluation for all players ”demonstrating gross or sustained vertical instability (e.g., stumbling or falling to the ground when trying to stand.)” Newton did not visit the locker room. Newton said after the team’s loss to the Saints that ”it wasn’t my head. It was my eye. My helmet had come down low enough over my eyelid and it got pressed by the player’s stomach.” ”Our review of all of the facts do not support a claim of inappropriate medical care,” the NFL Players Association said in a statement. ”Mr. Newton was immediately evaluated for a concussion and cleared by the team physician and unaffiliated neurotrauma consultant.” The Seattle Seahawks were fined $100,000 in Week 10 after the league and union determined they failed to apply the concussion protocol properly after quarterback Russell Wilson took a blow to the head against the Arizona Cardinals. — ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Josh Allen had another breakout performance for the Buffalo Bills on Sunday against the Miami Dolphins. It wasn’t enough to overcome a lack of discipline and self-inflicted miscues in a 21-17 defeat.Sloppiness and mistakes spoiled a fine performance by the rookie quarterback, who took another step forward against Miami. Allen threw for 231 yards Trace McSorley Jersey , two touchdowns and two interceptions while adding a franchise-record for a quarterback of 135 yards on the ground, topping the mark he established one week earlier against Jacksonville.Penalties proved to be especially costly. The Bills had 13 for 130 yards compared to Miami’s eight penalties for 89 yards. It continued a disturbing trend for Buffalo, which has the second-highest penalty total in the NFL behind only Kansas City.One week earlier, the Bills had 13 penalties for 80 yards in a game that saw defensive end Shaq Lawson and Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette ejected for their roles in a brawl. In Week 10 against Chicago, the Bills set a franchise record for penalty yards with 163.Two flags in particular were pivotal against Miami. On the Dolphins’ winning drive, linebacker Matt Milano was called for a 25-yard pass interference penalty. Two plays later, the Bills stuffed running back Kenyan Drake for a 4-yard loss but were penalized 15 yards after defensive tackle Jordan Phillips received a taunting penalty.Two plays later Ed Oliver Jersey , Ryan Tannehill connected with Kenny Stills on the winning touchdown pass.“We always take ownership of all of it,” Bills coach Sean McDermott said. “That’s where we start. And you try and peel back the layers and say, OK, if it’s pre-snap or post-whistle, those are the ones you’ve heard me talk about before — they’re non-negotiable. Those are the ones that hurt. The ones that happen during the course of the play, which ones were aggressive penalties, which ones were technique-based … certainly that’s an area we must improve moving forward.”Penalties on the offensive line have been an issue all season for a revamped unit missing three key starters from a year ago: Eric Wood http://www.billsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-cody-ford-jersey , Richie Incognito and Cordy Glenn. The line had six penalties against Miami, with two fouls declined. Rookie guard Wyatt Teller had three of those penalties (two holding calls, one false start).“You look at false starts and holding, up front our offensive line, it’s gone way past the point of where we need to have it to win games,” McDermott said. “We’ve got to get that corrected.”Things won’t get any easier up front with starting center Russell Bodine out for the remainder of the season. Bodine broke his leg against Miami and underwent surgery on Monday, McDermott said.It wasn’t all bad for the Bills.Buffalo’s 415 yards of offense were the most with Allen at QB and the most in a Bills loss since a 425-yard performance in a 31-25 defeat at Seattle on Nov. 7 Devin Singletary Jersey , 2016. Twenty-four first downs against Miami were a season-best and the most in regulation since Buffalo had 29 first downs in a 33-13 win over Cleveland on Dec. 18, 2016. And with 391 yards passing and 234 yards rushing, Allen has accounted for 625 of Buffalo’s 742 yards of offense over the past two games — showing he very well could be the team’s long-term answer at quarterback.“I thought he grew for sure,” McDermott said. “It looked like as the game went on he got more and more comfortable. … It was nice to see him settle in.”