ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. – With his fourth-and-1 decision in the first quarter of Sunday’s 31-14 loss at the Buffalo Bills, Cam Newton may have given Carolina Panthers coach Matt Rhule an easier opening to give quarterback Sam Darnold another chance.

Newton threw an incompletion to Robby Anderson.

Rhule said Newton should have run it.

Seldom has Rhule called out Newton during his second go-round with the Panthers (5-9), but he was very pointed on this play that occurred at midfield in a scoreless game.

And it perhaps could lead to Rhule going back to Darnold (designated for return from injury this past week), if he is cleared medically Monday from a shoulder injury that forced him to miss the past five games.

“It’s a zone-read play,’’ Rhule said after Carolina lost its fourth straight and ninth in 11 games. “It shouldn’t be thrown. There’s a bubble [route] in there in case an unblocked blitzer comes. To my point, we had that guy blocked.

“That’s just an error by the quarterback. It should be handoff, first down, or he pulls the ball. Only one guy over there. Just poor execution.’’

Rhule went on to say it was a great call by Jeff Nixon, in his second week as the playcaller after replacing fired offensive coordinator Joe Brady. He said it should have been a first down in a game where Carolina needed almost perfect execution to win and remain viable in the playoff picture.

“It wasn’t done right,’’ Rhule said. “It wasn’t executed. I can’t say why. He saw the guy blitz. You throw to the bubble off the blitz, but we had that guy blocked.’’

That it was a zone-read play, which is Newton’s specialty, was further indictment against the 2015 NFL MVP.

That Newton's down-the-field passing was nonexistent once again is further indictment. His longest completion went for 23 yards, and that was a catch and run.

“Certainly right now, our passing down the field is not one of our strengths,’’ Rhule said. “Holding onto the football in kind of those duress situations is not really one of our strengths.’’

Not that Darnold is the answer. He was 1-5 after a 3-0 start. He threw eight of his 11 interceptions in his last five games.

But Darnold is under contract for 2022, since the Panthers picked up his fifth-year option, guaranteeing him $18.7 million. And he’s only 24.

Newton is 32 and has lost his past 12 starts with Carolina dating back to 2018. He’s 0-4 this season as the starter and has five turnovers in his past three starts.

So with the Panthers assured of a fourth straight losing season and all but eliminated from the NFC playoff chase, it makes sense to give Darnold another chance to see what he can do after some time off.

“I probably won’t speak too much about moving forward 'til I get back and I see what Sam's health status is,’’ Rhule said. “You guys know me pretty well. I'm not going to make big statements right after the game. I don't think it's healthy for anything.’’

Outside of the running Newton has done the past three games, little has been healthy for the offense.

That Rhule didn’t turn to backup P.J. Walker, after saying he planned to use both quarterbacks Sunday, didn’t say much for Walker’s credibility as a solution.

“We have to work really hard for everything that we get,’’ Rhule said. “That dynamic element to our offense is certainly missing.’’

Buffalo confused Newton by blitzing on 24 of his 37 dropbacks (65%), the second-highest rate in an NFL game this season, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

The Bills sent a defensive back on a blitz 17 times (45.9%). Entering Sunday, the most they had sent a defensive back on a blitz was 12%.

Newton said he would have to look at the film to get a better grasp of what happened overall and on the fourth-and-1 play on which Rhule called him out. Asked what was wrong with the passing game, Newton responded, “I don’t know.’’

“It’s times like this you really find purpose tapping back into who you really are,’’ said Newton, who rushed for 71 yards and a touchdown. “Being a parent, that kind of braces you for the integrity that you’re supposed to have right now.

“My children are old enough now to know who Daddy is and what Daddy [does]. I can’t cower away from looking down the barrel and really analyzing myself.’’

Rhule has to look down that barrel Monday and decide whether he’s moving forward with Newton, turning back to Darnold or attempting to use both at the same time.

“We’ll do whatever is best,’’ Rhule said.