Stewart misses 2nd straight practice ...

Just as the Carolina Panthers are getting their starting offensive line back together, an injury to rookie running back Jonathan Stewart could prevent their rushing attack from being at full strength for Sunday’s game in Oakland.

Stewart, a first-round draft pick and the team’s second-leading rusher, did not practice for the second consecutive day Thursday because of soreness in his heel.

Neither Stewart nor coach John Fox would speculate about whether the running back will be ready to face the Raiders. Oakland has struggled to stop the run all season, ranking 30th of 32 teams in run defense.

Said Stewart: “I’m just trying to get as well as I can. … That’s all I’m concerned about right now.”
Right tackle Jeff Otah and center Ryan Kalil are expected to be back in the lineup after missing four and three games, respectively, with sprained ankles.

Stewart said he didn’t know how his heel was injured, but that it hurt him during the Panthers’ Oct.26 game against Arizona, a 27-23 win.

Despite having a bye week to rest since playing the Cardinals, the soreness has continued.
“It’s a sharp pain in my heel,” said Stewart, who was held to 10 yards on eight carries against Arizona, his least productive day as a pro.

“When I run the ball, it hurts every time I press off on it.”
Stewart leads the Panthers with five rushing touchdowns and has 96 carries for 362 yards, which ranks 27th in the NFL and fourth among rookies.

Stewart has split carries all season with starter DeAngelo Williams, who leads Carolina and ranks 16th in the league with 522 yards on 120 attempts. He has five touchdowns, three on runs and two on receptions.

Walker recovering from scary wreck

Defensive tackle Darwin Walker is still experiencing neck spasms from an Oct.25 auto accident and hasn’t practiced this week.

Walker said his Mercedes was totaled after a collision with another vehicle at the corner of Morehead and Tryon streets, about three blocks from Bank of America Stadium.

Walker said he was heading west on Morehead and didn’t see an oncoming vehicle whose driver ran a red light at the intersection.

“If you come down Morehead, there’s a building there, so you can’t see what’s coming down Tryon,” he said. “I was just driving along and all of a sudden – ‘boom!’ There was no reaction, no brakes, none of that, just a collision.

“It was a very hard lick … an amazing impact.”

Walker said his car struck the passenger side of the other vehicle, but that he has been told the woman who was driving it will recover. He said the damage to the front end of his vehicle extended almost all the way to the front seats.

Walker, who missed the Oct..26 game against Arizona, wouldn’t speculate on when he’d be ready to play again, noting Fox’s insistence on not giving out details about injuries.

“Partly cloudy and fair,” he said of how he felt.

Kalil working to get in game condition

Kalil said he felt rusty returning to practice Wednesday after missing three games, but that he felt “100 times better” Thursday. He said his biggest concern is getting into game condition after a lengthy layoff.

Kalil also asked if he could clarify his comment last week that he didn’t want to jinx the 6-2 Panthers by his return. He said his father, Frank, asked about it after reading it recently.

“I said, ‘Pops, it was a joke,’” said Kalil. “He said, ‘Well, it didn’t read like a joke.’
“So, on the record, for Frank Kalil, I was joking. I’m not superstitious and I’m excited to come back. So relax out there on the West Coast and have an In-N-Out burger for me.”

Kalil’s family lives in Corona, Calif., and is planning to attend the game in Oakland.

CHARLES CHANDLER