Panthers rookie quarterback Cam Newton will start the team's third preseason game against the Bengals. Carolina coach Ron Rivera said Sunday that Newton will play the first three quarters on Thursday night against the Bengals, but that doesn't mean the rookie will be the starter in the Sept. 11 season opener. "It will give us an opportunity to see how he'll handle the whole game experience and we'll go from there," Rivera said. "It makes him the starter for Thursday. We are still in the evaluation process after having gone through a game where we did some good things, but not enough good things."