Newton completed 14 of 34 passes for 180 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions in Sunday's 22-10 loss to the Falcons. He also gained 59 yards on 11 rushes and fumbled twice.

EDGE Analysis

Newton was far from his sharpest in a game in which he could have helped deny the division-rival Falcons a playoff spot. The former MVP fired three second-half interceptions, with the first two particularly poorly thrown balls. Newton had been limited with a shoulder injury early in the practice week, so it's possible that his throwing motion could have been somewhat compromised. Irrespective of whether that was indeed the case, Newton heads into an NFC wild-card showdown against the Saints next Sunday in the midst of a prolonged passing slump. The 28-year-old has thrown for under 200 yards in five of his last six contests, and seven of his last nine overall. He's also completed well under 60.0 percent of his passes in five games during the latter span, but he's been able to keep the Panthers afloat with his strong rushing performances. He'll likely need to step up his production through the air against New Orleans, however, considering Carolina dropped both regular-season games to them this season, with Newton throwing three interceptions in one of those contests.