Cecil Newton says Cam will 'come back better' after bye

Perhaps things will turn around at some point, but for now we're calling Cam Newton's second-year campaign a sophomore slump.

As Newton has struggled with five interceptions and crucial turnovers, a big reason for the Carolina Panthers' 1-4 start, the 2011 Offensive Rookie of the Year has been seen criticized for sulking on the sidelines and in postgame news conferences.

The actions of a great leader? Hardly. Even Newton's own father believes his son needs to alter his demeanor after losses.

"Is it something he needs to change?" Cecil Newton told WFNZ's The Drive with Taylor and March. "Well, yes, I guess so."

Given that this is a father talking about his son, though, it's not like Cecil was overly critical. He defended Cam's actions and proclaimed that his son would bounce back strong from his error-prone ways after the Panthers' bye.

"I know he hasn't been responsive in some of his interviews (after losses), but he has been like that since he was 7 years old," Cecil Newton said. "It's difficult. There are some things that I don't touch, and don't tell him what he should and shouldn't do. ...

"I think he's just pressing. I think he's maybe trying to do too much. I know my son, he is going to go back into the lab, tweak some things, work hard, and come out better. He is not in the business of making excuses. He is going to come back better."

We can't wait to see.

(Thanks to ProFootballTalk for alerting us to these comments from Cecil Newton)