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          NFL Nation

          Cam Newton: 'I'm not blaming anyone but myself'

          • David Newton, ESPN Staff WriterOct 31, 2014, 12:55 AM ET
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              David Newton is an NFL reporter at ESPN and covers the Carolina Panthers. Newton began covering Carolina in 1995 and came to ESPN in 2006 as a NASCAR reporter before joining NFL Nation in 2013. You can follow Newton on Twitter at @DNewtonespn.
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          CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Observed and heard in the locker room after the Carolina Panthers' 28-10 loss to the New Orleans Saints:

          • Quarterback Cam Newton on whether he knew his timing was off early en route to completing a career-low 35.7 percent of his passes for a career-low 39.4 passer rating: "I knew I missed a lot of them. I'm not blaming anyone but myself."

          • Tight end Greg Olsen on the offense in general after he was held to three catches for 30 yards: "You name it. We were bad. ... Just a poor overall effort by the offense."

          • Wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin wasn't dancing and singing like he was a day earlier in front of his locker. In fact, his voice was so soft after making two catches while being targeted 10 times that you barely could hear him. "I just have to be more mature," he said. "Just come in more focused, more ready."

          • The theme once again was missed opportunities. This time it was the offense's inability to capitalize on two first-half turnovers by the Saints when it was a scoreless tie. "When the defense is playing lights out like that in the first half, we have to put some points on the board," wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery said.