Newton reflects after his ‘resurrection’

A lot went through Cam Newton’s mind Sunday as he stood on the Carolina Panthers logo at Bank of America Stadium, ripping off his No. 1 jersey to reveal an “S” on his chest, as he did so many times during his first stint with Carolina.

There was the joy of the frenzied crowd, not only for the quarterback’s 24-yard touchdown carry, but for having the Panthers’ iconic leader at home doing the things that for most of his first nine seasons (2011-2019) in the NFL made him special.

There was also the memory of what Newton called his “Resurrection Day,” the anniversary of his Nov. 21, 2008, arrest for stealing a laptop while at the University of Florida.

“It was a big ‘D’ (defeat) in my life,” Newton recalled of the arrest. “I feel like it was a big scar that ended up being my biggest scar. I was incarcerated. I was just going to enjoy the moment [of scoring on Sunday]. I’m still going to enjoy the moment.”

Newton suffered a different “D” on Sunday; a 27-21 loss to Washington Football Team (4-6) and former Carolina coach Ron Rivera. It hurt, as he admitted during his post-game press conference, but not so much that he felt scarred as he did in prison 13 years ago.

Newton, 32, bounced back from that to win a college national championship at Binn and a national championship at Auburn. He led the Panthers to the Super Bowl in 2015, which he lost.

He’s focused on doing everything he can to bounce back from Sunday’s loss that left Carolina with a 5-6 record and out of the playoffs.

“We just have to find ways to maintain the standard,” Newton explained. “It’s really going to be up to our leaders and holding people accountable.”

The Panthers didn’t lose because of Newton, who completed 21 of 27 pass attempts for 189 yards and two touchdowns, and ran 10 times for 46 yards and a touchdown.

They lost because of seven penalties that cost 65 yards, several of which negated big plays by Christian McCaffrey. They lost because of a bad third-and-1 play that went to McCaffrey instead of Newton.

They lost because a defense ranked second in the NFL gave up 190 yards on the ground and couldn’t stop another former Carolina quarterback, Taylor Heinicke, on two fourth-down plays.

“Cam was outstanding,” Carolina coach Matt Rhule said. “He handled everything. He went through the progressions. The [24-yard touchdown] throw he made to Christian was elite.

“For where we are, to be a week in, I thought he did a good job.”

Newton signed a one-year contract to finish the season with only a week and a half left. He had only one full week of practice in which he learned only a small part of the playbook.

Rhule’s decision to call a timeout with 3:05 remaining and go for first and ten instead of clearing on fourth and 3 was based on Newton not having time to fully understand the two-minute offense.

Newton’s pass to McCaffrey came within a foot of the first attempt.

He had another chance on fourth-and-3 with 1:11 left, but when he ran, a lineman fell on his block and Washington got a catch.

Rivera, who had seen Newton perform miracles before, admitted his team caught the 2015 NFL MVP at the right time.

“We caught them before Cam really gets in the playbook,” he said. “We got lucky. I know they’ll get more efficient as they go forward, and he gets more and more into that playbook.”

Time is running out, however, as the Panthers (5-6) enter Week 12 on the road (they are 3-2) against the 4-7 Miami Dolphins. After their Week 13 descamsp, they have the Atlanta Falcons (4-6) at home, Buffalo Bills (6-4) as visitors, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-3) at home and then away games against the New Orleans Saints ( 5-5) and Bucs (6-3).

They are in a great group of teams with five wins vying for the seventh playoff spot in the NFC. That two of those teams are Philadelphia Eagles and Minnesota Vikings, who beat Carolina at home, doesn’t help when it comes to tiebreakers.

But Newton was part of a Carolina team that in 2014 won its last four games to win the NFC South with a 7-8-1 record, then won a playoff game.

So he hasn’t given up hope. He just has to find a way to raise the level of many young and inexperienced players around him to a higher level.

One of the situations Newton will start with is third and down. The Panthers went 2-for-9, which he called “unacceptable.”

Coach mentioned earlier in the week that it would come down to early success on first down and third down conversions and staying on the field offensively and getting them off the field defensively,” Newton said. “And from what I saw, we didn’t do any of those things. It’s about accountability.”

Accountability is part of what went through Newton’s mind at midfield.

“My life could be who knows where right now if the judge hadn’t ruled the way he did,” said Newton, who had the 2008 charges dropped. “God did my life a favor, and that’s the big picture.”

“I’m enjoying the moment. I just … have to be better.”