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Game Quotes: Panthers at Seahawks

HEAD COACH RON RIVERA

On the decision to not start Newton: "Yea, it was a travel code violation. The decision was to treat him like I do all the other players and he didn't start."

Was this solely your decision: "Yes, my decision. Completely my decision. The decision was made because I treat them all the same."

Luke Kuechly was animated on the sidelines. What did he say to you: "He felt that the referees missed the call. It was one of those things. Guys in the heat of the battle want it to be was it is, so he just got upset about that."

Your thoughts on getting beat that bad: "It's disappointing. We had some opportunities early on. We pull within three and give up a big play right away. For whatever reason there was a miscommunication and we didn't get the guy in position and we gave up the big play. There some guys out there that need to step it up and unfortunately they didn't."

How would you evaluate the rushing defense without Luke in there: "Well we gave up over 200 yards, it wasn't very good. Probably the biggest disappointment was it was a matter of discipline. Guys trying to make plays instead of staying in their creases. Because we didn't stay where were suppose to be, we gave up a couple of big runs. We had a guy who should have stayed outside for contain and he didn't. He dipped inside, they bounced outside and the next thing you know, it's a touchdown. We had a guy that was suppose to rotate down to the outside and contain it and he wasn't there. That's why we gave up those two big plays."

Did you see anything this week that might have said that this could happen: "What happened today was different than the way we practiced. We put ourselves in a position to do things. Unfortunately we didn't execute."

When did you make the decision to bench him: "I made the decision not to start him after I found out the infraction."

Was it going to be one series: "Yes but I didn't anticipate the series being one play."

Did you regret the throw by Anderson: "The call was what it was. What you would like to see is the ball be brought down a little bit. He had the guy open. He had the guy for probably a five yard gain. He delivered it a little high and hot and it bounced off his hands."

Is there something that you can point to that is different from last year to this year: "Health and lack of health. There are some things that go on with that when your playing your top notch guys or your playing your backup guys. So there is an issue or something that is missing? Yeah. I think that is part of it. I think it does come down to execution. It does come down to playing well in all three phases, whether you score early and you put yourself in a better position as a team. Or you defend early and help the offense out, that's all apart of it."

Is there disappointment going 0-2 on this road trip: "Very much so. Last week I thought we played well and gave ourselves a chance. And that's the hard thing. We played a good Raiders team that is a physical football team. We had an opportunity to win. Today we came out and obviously you can't make a mistake on your first series but we came back and it was 10-7 at one point. Again we just didn't give ourselves a chance- that is the disappointment. We had some opportunities. We missed some plays. Probably the tough thing is the lack of discipline and being where your suppose to be, that's the thing that bothers you more than anything else. When you get a chance to look at it on tape, that's probably the biggest thing, that is going to be the tell-tail. I thought that we rushed the passer well. But then we lose our best rusher for the day. Charles Johnson makes a great play and then pulls his hamstring. That's a tough pill to swallow there."

QB CAM NEWTON

On his thoughts on why he did not start the game: "It came down to a dress code matter.  I didn't follow dress code, and coach told me that I wasn't going to start, so I stand by his decision.  The position that he's in, I'll follow it."

On if the issue was specifically him not wearing a tie: "Yes, sir."

On if, knowing team rules and being a team leader, if he felt he let the team down:"Well, in a sense I did.  But needless to say, I think there's a lack there of communication on my part, and I think I have to be clearer moving forward, know what certain things are done."

On if he felt he was dress appropriately:"If coach doesn't feel I was dress appropriate, then I wasn't.  

On if he had a tie: "Well, when you're 6-5, trying to get a shirt. I was a way from home for a week.  I didn't pack a shirt.  It was a lot of ties that I was given, but I can't wear a tie with this a black turtleneck, meaning, I have a tank top on. . . . We discussed it internally, me and coach, we got on the same page.  I feel I wore a similar outfit as this before and nothing was done.  But he said he has rules in place and we have to abide by them, and no person is greater than the next person and, you know, it is what it is."

On if this was on Saturday or Friday, the day before: "This was the day before, yes sir."

On if this happened before and nothing became of it, if the coach was trying to make an example of him or send a message: "I don't know. Long story short, he has rules in place.  In my opinion, it was a lack of communication, like I said, on my part, especially as a team captain, a person that I feel has his ear. I should have just cleared it first.  By the time everything happened, it was just, I was off guard. Minutes prior to the bus leaving, I didn't have nothing to change into to, as well as me and my size. There's other people on the team.  A person may be thinking, 'Why didn't you get somebody's shirt on the team?' We'd been in California for a week, and we shipped our clothes off.  So that was the big no-no. But, we didn't lose this game because of a tie, you know what I'm saying?  It was a lot of execution errors, it was a lot of things that we had our opportunities, and we failed at it.  As a team, we're going to keep putting ourselves in this position if we don't maximize the opportunities that we do get in the game."

On how he would sum up what's has gone wrong tonight and this season:  "I don't know. We've just got to get buys back healthy. I think that's been a big issue.  For the people who have been playing, effort has been there, but as far as trust in each other, I think that's something we all can get better at, including myself. What I mean by that, coach always says it's about one guy doing his job and perfecting his job, not one guy trying to do 10 other guys' jobs. When you do that, sometimes you'll be right, and sometimes you'll be wrong, and that's where we're at."

On how to prevent this season from unraveling: "Winning. That's it. Winning."

S TRE BOSTON

On why he thinks the Carolina defense gave up so many yards tonight:"Got to tackle better. Got to communicate. Got to find a way to get more turnovers. Got to find a way to get more turnovers on their side of the field. Set our offense up for easy scores. That's it, honestly."

On having so many guys coming in and out of the lineup due to injury:"We're beat up pretty bad. Pretty injured. We got guys who stepped up and guys who play well when they step up, but it's starting to show on offense and defense. We still have a season ahead of us and you won't see us stop fighting. We're going to keep finding and keep pounding."

On the difficulty of starting the game with a giveaway on and interception:"It's not hard at all, honestly. As you see, I almost had an interception on that same first one in the end zone. It's just something we know we can do. We just got to find a way to force three, or a turnover and that's what we found a way to do. That was nothing for us, to come back, and then lose another one, that's where it starts calculating and getting into a rhythm where this isn't what we want to be in."

On taking one step forward and two steps back as a team this season:"Story of the season, honestly. We just haven't found our way to clicking together. Everybody is working as a unit here, a unit there. We just got to find a way to put it all together, and that is what we are lacking right now."

CB JAMES BRADBERRY

On what they were thinking as a defense in the fourth quarter: "Just trying to make stops, pretty much. I gave up a couple of catches in the fourth quarter that I shouldn't have given up. Kind of relaxed on the last one. Just a rookie mistake, I have to go hard all the time."

On the mood in the huddle amidst all of the injuries: "Next man up. Next man has to step up and fill in that role."

On the mindset among the team during a tough game: "Throughout the game you've always got to keep your head up and keep pushing forward. You can't give up even though you're losing. We don't want to get too down on ourselves and keep pushing."

On what he thought led to the touchdown on the second half opening kickoff: "It's hard to say. I took on my block and I kind of forced him to the side. I'm not sure what all what went on in the inside, but everybody's got to run to the ball, pretty much.

QB DEREK ANDERSON

On the decision to start him instead of Newton:"It is what it is. He did what he needed to do, and that's it."

On what happened on the first play interception:"I just threw it to him, and.:you saw it just as good as I did."

On if he thought the pass should have been caught before being intercepted:"That's the least of our worries, to be honest."

On if he spoke to Newton about the situation prior to the game:"We sat down last night and had a good chat. You know, obviously I'm behind him 100 percent. Unfortunate situation but we're moving on. Ron [Rivera] handled it and we have a lot of things to correct. Coach already addressed it. I'm not going to talk any more about it. It is over with. We addressed it as a team."

LB A.J. KLEIN On mistakes leading to a difficult night on defense:"They did a good job. You can't take away from what they did, but more lack of mental discipline on our part. I think we played hard. I don't think we stopped playing hard all game. Especially in the run game, but their zone read stuff, you have to be disciplined and stay in your gap."

WR TED GINN JR.

On overall impressions from the outcome: "The score speaks for itself. We couldn't get it rolling like we usually do. We got to seven and after that we just struggled. We got to just put all three phases together and play better ball."

On having Newton out for the first play of the game: "I don't want to talk about that."

TE GREG OLSEN

On going winless on the two game road trip: "These are humbling experiences. Right now the reality is....We just aren't very good right now, that's just the reality. That's all anyone should care about. Just win one time, one game. Prepare that way, play that way, play smart, execute, and win one game."

On Newton's disciplinary incident:"Ron handles those things. It was addressed as a team. Cam addressed it, and we are moving on. Obviously it wasn't the start to the game we were all anticipating.

View game action photos from Carolina's 40-7 loss to Seattle.

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