Panthers' Cam Newton: Posts 300-yard effort in loss

Newton completed 24 of 50 passes for 324 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions in the Panthers' 20-14 loss to the Buccaneers on Thursday. He also rushed twice for no gain and lost a fumble.

The night was a mixed bag for Newton despite his impressive yardage total, as he was only able to lead the Panthers to four field goals. The 30-year-old QB also saw a third-quarter interception wiped out by penalty, but Newton then committed his fumble two plays later on one of the three sacks he took. On the brighter side, Newton was in synergy with Greg Olsen and DJ Moore, hitting the duo a combined 15 times for 199 yards. However, Newton was often wild while targeting Curtis Samuel, who produced only a 33.0 percent catch rate on his 12 looks. On the brighter side, the former MVP was highly effective on an 11-play, 73-yard drive in the fourth quarter that culminated in a turnover on downs at the Buccaneers' two-yard line with 1:28 remaining. With his team now having suffered two straight home losses to open the season, Newton will look to bounce back against the Cardinals in a Week 3 road matchup a week from this Sunday.