Panthers TE Greg Olsen (foot) was worried about playing on turf

Tight end Greg Olsen hopes the Carolina Panthers’ three-game homestand will be good for him and his surgically repaired foot.

Olsen sat out Sunday’s 31-21 loss to the Saints after his right foot flared up last week when he “stung” it on the artificial turf at MetLife Stadium against the Jets.

Olsen, who didn’t practice all week, and the team’s training staff did not think playing another game on an artificial surface made sense. So Olsen watched while the Panthers dropped a key NFC South game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

Olsen figured another week off plus three home games on grass will certainly help his situation. Olsen said in the story his foot is sore but it wasn't re-broken. Olsen now is eyeing a solid week of practice with hopefully no setbacks, and it seems like he'll be back in action in Week 14. The Panthers host the Vikings in an early afternoon game so we'll know Olsen's status about an hour-and-a-half before kickoff.