When Cam Newton pondered over where his football career would go next, he kept three key factors in mind. He wanted to go somewhere that embraced his personality, that allowed him a chance at a starting job and that gave him a chance to contend.

And according to Newton, going back to the Carolina Panthers afforded him all of that. Cha-ching, cha-ching, cha-ching.

But in the dust of an embarrassing 33-10 loss to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, their second defeat in as many weeks, Newton was asked if he had to reevaluate that third part of checklist.

“Absolutely not. Absolutely not,” he said when asked if his judgment on Carolina’s viability was off.

Newton himself was quite off in Week 12, however. The 11th-year quarterback completed just five of his 21 attempts for 92 yards, zero touchdowns and two interceptions.

An afternoon filled with rhythmless possessions, ill-timing and an overall lack of chemistry was a relatively stark change from what we saw in the first two weeks of his comeback. That 11th year, though, has afforded Cam the knowledge of the league’s fickle nature and what has to come next.

“This is the NFL. Nothing’s promised,” he added. “Just because Cam Newton is on your roster it doesn’t mean you’re just going to win. Just because it’s a feel-good story, doesn’t mean you’re going to win. I’m well aware of that. I think in this situation we all have to come to grips with who we are, and I’m putting blame on myself first before I can even look at somebody else. I have to be better. I know that.”

At 5-7 and little hope remaining for a postseason run, Newton and the Panthers enter a Week 13 bye looking to recover and regroup. He must be better, the defense must be better and the coaching staff must be better—or this warm homecoming will boil over in the wrong direction.