Dec. 18 (UPI) -- Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews and Cam Newton had a conversation before a play Sunday, but the Carolina Panthers still scored a touchdown.
Matthews was trying to predict the Panthers' next move in the first quarter of the Packers' 31-24 loss. Newton surveyed the defense before Matthews stood up and yelled: "It's that wheel route, it's that wheel route."
"You been watching film, huh?" Newton shouted back.
"Yeah," Matthews said.
"That's cool. Watch this," Newton responded.
The Panthers quarterback then completed a seven-yard touchdown pass on a slant to Christian McCaffrey.
The touchdown put the Panthers up 7-0 in the first quarter.
Clay Matthews: It's that wheel route, it's that wheel route
— NFL Update (@MySportsUpdate) December 18, 2017
Cam Newton: You been watching film, huh?
Matthews: Yeah
Cam: That's cool. Watch this
Cam: Slant to McCaffrey TD
I can't stop watching this.pic.twitter.com/PZcfiayC7T
Carolina's rookie running back had 136 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown on 18 touches. The Panthers used McCaffrey on nine of the first 15 plays on Sunday.
"You kind of forget he's a rookie," Newton said of McCaffrey in his postgame comments. "But his importance in this offense...his role may not be glaring. That he's this that or Rookie of the Year or whatnot. I'm not negating that from him but he's such a methodical person that gets a lot of undisclosed things that we need him for."
"He is a guy that does a great job of catching out of the backfield. He played everywhere today. We had him at receiver, had him in the slot, had him in the backfield and he can pass."
"He is an all-around football player that you love to have on your team."
Matthews had four tackles in the loss.
