Neither Panthers QB Cam Newton nor coach Ron Rivera "had much to say about the officiating" in the Panthers' 13-10 victory yesterday over the Rams after Newton last week loudly criticized the number of no-calls against him, according to Jourdan Rodrigue of the CHARLOTTE OBSERVER. When Newton was asked if he "received 'better treatment' from the referees this week," it appeared he is "no longer focused on it." He said, "I'm not worried about that. ... I’m just happy we won the football game" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 11/7). ESPN’s Merril Hoge yesterday blamed his own network and other NFL media for the perception that Newton is correct to complain about unfair treatment by officials. Hoge: “We are the biggest culprit in this right now, 'we' meaning ESPN and football shows, because we are highlight-driven. We have taken that hit to the knee and shown it hundreds of times, but there are 20 other pocket plays that were fine in that game and we don't show those. You have to look and compare apples-to-apples. You can't look at a game objectively, because he plays outside the pocket” (“SportsCenter,” ESPN, 11/6).
ANGRY YOUNG MAN? In N.Y., Bob Raissman writes NFL Network's Marshall Faulk is "stubborn," as yesterday he "again blamed referee Ed Hochuli" for why Newton is not getting any roughing calls. Faulk yesterday said that officials are "looking the other way because" Newton in '15 claimed Hochuli told him he was “too young” to get those kind of calls (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 11/7).
COSTUME PARTY: In Boston, Ben Volin wrote Newton is "probably right that NFL officials treat him differently because he is so big and physical, and he probably doesn’t get as many calls" as other QBs. Volin: "At the same time, it’s a little hard to take him seriously when he dresses like Jim Carrey in 'The Mask' in his postgame news conferences" (BOSTON GLOBE, 11/6).
