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During a five-game losing streak the Panthers (3-7-1) have scored only 26 points combined in the first three quarters, an average of 5.2 points per game.

As ESPN.com's David Newton notes, they had only three points through the first three quarters of Sunday’s 19-17 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, who came into the game with the worst rated pass defense in the NFL.

The Panthers scored a combined 48 points in the fourth quarter, including 28 the past two weeks against Philadelphia and Atlanta.

Cam Newton hasn’t thrown a touchdown pass in the first three quarters since a 3-yarder to Kelvin Benjamin six games ago in a 37-37 tie at Cincinnati.

Over the last five games, Newton has no touchdowns and five interceptions in the first half. In the second half, he has five touchdowns (all in the fourth quarter) to three interceptions.

Newton’s passer rating this season is 80.3, worse than every quarterback except Oakland rookie Derek Carr (76.0), Minnesota rookie Teddy Bridgewater (75.0), Jacksonville rookie Blake Bortles (72.2) and New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith (65.6).

Smith was benched three games ago and replaced by Michael Vick.

There’s been no talk of benching Newton.

Where Newton has excelled is the fourth quarter. His passer rating is 113.1 in the final quarter, third-best in the NFL but second-best on the Panthers. Backup quarterback Derek Anderson ranks first at 125.9.

Newton has eight touchdowns to only one interception in the fourth quarter. He has only four touchdowns to nine interceptions in the first three quarters.

Of course, the good thing about a bye week is it allows players to work on fundamentals. For Newton, that means stepping into his throws. Not that Newton is totally to blame for throwing off his back foot more than normal lately. Before the loss to Atlanta, he had been sacked 19 times in four games -- more than any quarterback in the NFL during that span.

On the first play against Atlanta, the right tackle went right when the rest of the offensive line went left (as the blocking scheme was designed), and Newton took an uncontested shot to the head. When Newton consistently had time to throw early in the season he was as fundamentally sound as he's been in his career.

As injuries have impacted his protection, he's taken a step backward.