Mike Pereira weighs in on the scary hit to Cam Newton's knee

Cam Newton has been on the receiving end of a number of questionable hits this season, and Sunday’s game against the Cardinals was no exception.

In the third quarter of the Carolina Panthers’ 30-20 win, Newton dropped back to pass and was hit low by Arizona defensive end Calais Campbell, leaving the reigning MVP on the ground in pain. Newton went down awkwardly as the blow came as he threw.

Check out how the play unfolded in the video below.

No flag was throw on the play and Newton stayed in the game, finishing 14-of-27 for 212 yards in the win. But the hit left many wondering if Campbell should have been penalized on the play.

“Look, it’s legal to hit a quarterback in the knee area or below as long as it’s not forceful and is a swipe with the arm,” FOX Sports rules analyst Mike Pereira said Sunday. “The referee has to make that decision. In this case to me it was the shoulder to the knee area, and that would make it forceful. In this case, I clearly do think it was a foul.”