Panthers quarterback Cam Newton spoke to the Atlanta media on Wednesday during a conference call.
Here’s what he had to say:
Q: What is the big point of emphasis as you all prepare for the Falcons?
A: "Win. Find a way to win."
Q: What do are some of things y’all need to do better to win?
A: "Win, by any means necessary. Just find ways to win."
Q: Running the football? Passing the football? Blocking and tackling?
A: "All of that stuff. Win."
Q: Do you feel like players are coming after you differently? More aggressively?
A: "I play a physical sport and that requires a lot of hitting. I'm just trying to maximize everything that my coaches are asking me to do."
Q: What differences in the Falcons defense have you seen compared to last year?
A: "No really differences outside of the personnel."
Q: What do you see from that personnel?
A: "Just different players in different positions. That's it."
Q: Offensively, what happened with the eight sacks? Were you holding the ball too long?
A: "I don't know. We just have to fix that and make sure that everything is firing on all cylinders come Sunday."
Q: How did Kelvin Benjamin take Kelvin Benjamin away from the offense?
A: "Do you really think I'm going to tell you that?"
Q: How do you all plan to get Kelvin Benjamin going against the Falcons?
A: "Throw it to him."
Q: What’s been the impact of missing running back Jonathan Stewart?
A: "In the collision sport everybody is bound to get hurt. It just depends on the severity of the injury. For us to go on a long run we know that everybody is going to have to be firing on all cylinders with personnel from running backs, quarterbacks, myself as well as the offensive line. We know that if an injury does take place everybody has to be aware and know that they have to pick up the slack and be ready to go."
Q: Do you have another hat to wear when you come to the Georgia Dome?
A: "You just have to (wait and) see."
Q: A few years into your career now, how are you different in handling things?
A: 'I'm not different."
Q: No interest in talking on Sunday night?
A: "Yeah, I'm going to want to talk because we are going to win. I mean that's the plan. We play this game to win football games. I can't sit up there and tell you that I'm going to lose and be ready to talk. I don't like to talk after losing."
Q: After a couple of years, is it easier on a Sunday night or Monday morning to get back to work than it was your first year in the league?
A: 'I can't say that. There's nothing that has changed about me. People say, for what it's worth, losing is still not good. I don't care how you really cut it. If you want to be labeled a good loser, good luck with that. Nothing has changed about me. …You all have a good day."
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