Cam Newton Postgame Quotes vs Washington

Panthers QB Cam Newton met with the media following the game.

RE: The fans today

They upheld their end of the bargain, we just have to do our part. The energy in
there was electric. It was good juju in there, but characteristics as a team, we have
to be better. Third down, gotta-have-it situations. Coach had his keys of victory that
we didn’t execute in its totality throughout the game, and that’s pretty much what
it comes down to. I did challenge the fans, the fans came, they saw and they
supported. Having an atmosphere like that in games moving forward in November and December, you know, it’s pretty much going to come down to execution and we
didn’t do that enough as a team here today.

RE: What was your assessment of how you played today?

We didn’t win.

RE: Not having the full grasp of the playbook of the two-minute

Yeah, it’s still learning, it’s still learning. Being able to be out there and just get completions is something that every two-minute is predicated off of, doesn’t matter what system you are in. It is just the little minute things when you come down to signals and things like that. I just have to get in the book and really kind of grasp it.

RE: Lack of success on third down

It’s unacceptable, it’s unacceptable. Coach brought that up early, mentioning early in the week, that it was going to come down to early success in first down, third-down conversions and staying on the field offensively, and defensively getting them
off the field. And from what I saw, we did none of those things. It’s all about accountability and I am going to speak on what I can control, and offensively we didn’t uphold that today. I don’t know the numbers, I just know the percentages are extremely low. Winning football, playoff football like that, you have to convert, you have to play better complimentary football. We had flashes today when we did. I
think they are a great team, obviously we know who Coach Rivera is. He had those guys dialed in and ready to go. Scarface [Taylor Heinicke] played a hell of a game and not to mention, unbelievable execution right before the half. They stole 14
points without the offense having their say so in it and that’s the key to victory. The last time the offense was up, we were 14-7, and then when we got back on the field it was 21-14. That’s winning ingredients. I know guys in the locker room enough, so far that, they are going to accept the challenge and come back and really be dialed in here moving forward. We can’t labor on the obvious, we lost. Ok now it’s time to move forward and look in the mirror first, which I am, and find ways to execute better.

RE: Can you walk us through the two fourth down plays at the end

You ask any coordinator in the league, you ask any player in the league, we’re trying to put the ball in our guy’s hands. That’s no disrespect to anybody else. But went to CMac [Christian McCaffrey], just came up a tad bit short, and then the last one, it was just lack thereof of execution. I believe DJ [Moore] won, so it’s my job to deliver the football, I hesitated and that’s all it takes for a team like that to kind of swarm you. You know we just have to get better, we have to do better. It is a lot of
people that’s knowing each other, it’s a lot of situations that come up on hand.
Outside of all of that, it’s still football.

RE: Why did you decide to run to midfield today?
Today was a special day for me, for more reasons than one. It was my resurrection day. Not that I am sure a lot of people know, November 21st is a very special day for
me. I took a big L in my life, I feel like. It was a big scar that ended up being my
biggest star. I was incarcerated today. When I was in the University of Florida and this day is always significant of where I came from. I was just going to enjoy the moment, still am going to enjoy the moment. I think my life could be, who knows where right now if the judge ruled, the way she did, he did, I’m not sure. Man, God had favor over my life and that’s the big picture. The realization of things that you could control, you know, I am enjoying the moment and we just, I have to be better.

RE: Did you get a chance to talk to Coach Rivera before or after the game?

Not really. We spoke very brief, but it ain’t too much to say. I’m not in that warming mood right now, I’m not going to lie to you. I think that’s what growth is. I wish him and his team the best, but you know, I knew what it was with him, he knew what it was with me. It is what it is but I am happy for him, I’m happy for his team. They are
a good team; their team is not kind of predicated on their record because they had two back-to-back wins now. That’s them, for us here, we just have to find ways to
sustain the standard. Coach says it best, it’s really going to be down to our leaders kind of stepping up and holding people accountable and starting with themselves.

RE: Moving forward, what do you feel you have to improve on to give this
team a better chance to winning?

Gotta-have-it situations and third downs. We know what we have offensively from 11, 2, 22, 1, 82, we got enough juice. It’s just really going to take, not to mention 30 and 20, there are a lot of guys in that locker room that are capable of making plays. It’s just really going to come down to grasping and understanding and executing.

RE: First full game played, how do you feel physically and mentally?

It felt like my chest was about to explode a couple of times, but all in all it was
warming. I just appreciate the fans just for coming out and showing their support man. For everybody, these last couple of days have just been overwhelming.
My prayer was pretty much that I hope I could just keep it in the road, man. But I
wanted to enjoy the moment today. It didn’t turn out the way I wanted it to or we wanted it to, but yet we can learn from it. We have to realize that nobody is going to lay down. I didn’t expect that, I know a lot of other guys didn’t expect that but it’s
still going to come down to us executing the given plan. For me, I am excited what the future holds, and it’s going to start with us tomorrow and going over the film and
locking in and doing that as best as we could.

RE: Did you spot any of the Cam inspired fedora’s during warmups?

Aww naw, I really couldn’t, but I know a lot of stees was in the building. Man, justhold on, just hold on. Trust man, and we are coming together. I hope and pray that
guys got away from the game with not being injured, but yet we know what we
have in the locker room and it’s going to be us that’s going to get us to the next
point along with a group of people, men, women, child, everybody, all hands-on
deck. Yeah, this one hurts but you know, that’s the obvious. I think tomorrow is going to be a good way for us to really dive in and see what we need to improve on,
improve on it and get ready for Miami.