Panthers QB Newton still sees holes in his game

By STEVE REED

SPARTANBURG, S.C. (AP) By his own admission, Cam Newton hasn't arrived.

The Panthers 23-year-old quarterback sees plenty of room for improvement this preseason even after a record-setting rookie campaign. Newton had 35 combined touchdowns in 2011 for Carolina (No. 20 in the AP Pro32) but says there are still "a lot of holes" in his game.

He hopes to work those out in Saturday night's preseason opener against Houston (No. 6).

Newton says he wants to limit his turnovers, improve ball placement and make key plays throughout the game, including the third quarter - where the Panthers struggled at times last season.

Newton offered no predictions on how the offense will perform this season, but says he's anxious for the team's first "pop quiz" against a talented Texans defense.

Updated August 9, 2012