"Cam Newton will have plenty of time to appreciate all he accomplished in his record-setting rookie season with the Panthers, but Sunday afternoon wasn't that time. The sting of a season-ending 45-17 loss to the New Orleans Saints was still fresh as Newton emerged from the Panthers' locker room with a scowl on his face. He had completed 15 of 25 passes for 158 yards, modest numbers by his standards. Newton threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Steve Smith when he saw the Pro Bowler in single coverage in the first quarter, but he also threw a critical end-zone interception in the second quarter when Smith adjusted his route in coverage. In the second half, Newton and the Panthers gained just 66 yards. Newton's left elbow was sore from a hard hit he took in the third quarter, and his pride was dinged from the lopsided loss. When it was suggested that four wins in the last six games fueled optimism for next season, Newton wasn't biting. "That's one way to look at it," said Newton, dressed in a light brown-patterned suit and dark brown sweater. "But today it was embarrassing how we finished that game. Offense, defense, special teams. The whole nine yards. It was unacceptable. That kind of play has to be deceased going forward.""