Cam Newton Discusses What Went Wrong in the Loss to Miami

Carolina Panthers QB Cam Newton met with the media following Sunday's game.

Q. What do you think contributed to the struggles on offense today?

We just -- we lost footing early. And we have to find ways to get back on track. That's what it came down to. Nothing that they did was out of the ordinary. It wasn't like we weren't prepared. It just comes down to execution.

Q. When you say you lost footing, what do you mean? 

It's hard to get on a rhythm, three and out three and out three and out. We have to find ways to sustain drives and stay out on the football field. And anybody defensively, offensively, you know, it's just about wearing down and I think offensively we wore our defense down today. And we've got time off. Just gotta come back, be ready to play complementary football, all three phases. That's pretty much what it came down to.

Q. You said last week (inaudible) things are going to be all right. Things seemed to fall apart. What can you do now?

There's no need to paint it. Don't have to paint it. So when it's all said and done, come back to the core basis of what the brand is. As Coach Rhule always speaks about, trusting in the players and trusting in the process and just holding yourself accountable. And that's what it pretty much comes down. No secret play. I say the same things each and every time. But that's what it pretty much comes down to. Guys doing their part in the whole overall grand scheme of things. 

Q. Cam, Matt said he put P.J. in the fourth quarter because he had better grasp of the two-minute offense. Where do you feel like you need to get to be super comfortable?

I would take this time to really dive into the whole offense. I think today it really got exposed because of the situation. And not having a full grasp. But it's not nobody to blame more so than just the situation that I came into. So having this week to kind of self-scout, so to speak, and really dive into the root of what this offense is about and that's what I plan on doing. 

Q. Without of course giving away super specifics where in particular did you feel like it caught up to you the most 

Just the two-minute, that's it. I spoke with coach. He said we're going to put P.J. in because he has a better grasp of the signals and the two-minute thing because there are obviously things that's not necessarily in the game, the base game plan. And I was fine with that. And at the end of the day it's about being a professional. At this particular time I had more than enough opportunity to keep the game in the balance and there's no need to put up a fight with that. 

Q. How much was the pressure factor on you because seemed like a six-foot-five guy, having passes tipped, not normally tipped? Were they getting deeper -- 

Doesn't matter how tall you are because they're tall too. It's really not about the logistics of why they're getting batted, they're getting batted because they're good too. So for us we just have to go back, lick our wounds, be prepared to mend and heal this week get on the same page moving forward. 

Q. You said when you signed with the Panthers winning is a big thing for you, do you think you misjudged maybe where this team was on the scale? 

Absolutely not. Absolutely not. This is the NFL. Nothing's promised. Just because Cam Newton is on your roster it doesn't mean you're just going to win. Just because it's a feel-good story, doesn't mean you're going to win. I'm well aware of that. I think in this situation we all have to come to grips with who we are, and I'm putting blame on myself first before I can even look at somebody else. I have to be better. I know that. And it starts with mentally tapping in and understanding what Coach Rhule and obviously Coach wants to do and that's how we're going to rock and roll. 

Q. The sideline is described as being flat when things started to unravel today. Did you think that? If so how do you overcome that? 

It's just about sustaining drives. Sustaining drives. I think defensively they were giving us opportunity. They gave us opportunity and luckily right before the half we snuck away three points. So coming back after halftime, three and out, penalty. Got stopped on third down, we still found a way to get a first down through special teams and just the same monotonism of doing the same things. And Coach gives us the keys to win and one of those keys was eliminating penalties. And we didn't adhere to that. 

Q. How would you explain the two interceptions? 

I mean, Xavier Rhodes -- Howard, I'm sorry -- we knew everything going into this game how we needed to attack. So I really only see one of -- what was the other? Undercut. 

Q. The dig and the corner. 

That was a bad throw. It was a bad throw. So before I can tell blame, it all starts with me. And that's just me holding myself accountable. Coach did say about one of the keys of the game is protecting the football and I put the ball in jeopardy too many times today. So from an offensive perspective, what I can speak on, we weren't good enough to sustain enough drives, too many three and outs, and protecting the football. And anytime you can't do that, it's going to be tough. 

Q. Can you get to a point that you feel comfortable in this offense in the next five weeks? 

Yes, sir. 

Q. How? 

Just doing my job. That's it. I do my job and I have full faith the other ten guys will do their job and it will be good.