Carolina Panthers' Cam Newton focused on task at hand

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton often doesn't like to talk about what everyone else is talking about. When media and NFL fans zig, Newton likes to zag.

So it's not surprising that after nearly a week of sports talk dominated by the helmet-to-helmet hits Newton took in Denver, he wants to move on to Sunday's home opener against the 49ers.

"My focus right now is trying to win football games -- through all the hits, through everything," Newton said Wednesday.

"My job as a quarterback is to focus on trying to dissect the San Francisco 49ers' defense this week and to make sure that the Carolina Panthers fans are happy at the end of Sunday."

But a pair of Broncos -- linebacker Brandon Marshall and safety Darian Stewart -- were fined a total of $42,540 for hitting Newton in the head. Was that enough?

"I can't mourn or dwell on things that happened," Newton said, "from the statistics of me being hit to the type of hits that I'm taking. My job is to win football games. That's why I'm here.

"There's no question that I took a couple hits to the head, but I don't think that I showed any signs of being concussed. There was no wooziness."

The NFL and NFLPA are currently running joint investigations of how the Panthers' medical staff and independent neurologists at the game reacted that night. For his part, Newton joined coach Ron Rivera, who on Monday defended the team's response.

"I know whole-heartedly that (head trainer) Ryan Vermillion and his staff did an exceptional job protecting me," Newton said.

"Everybody has a job to do, from refs to the commissioner, to head coach, to players, to general managers," Newton said. "My focus is San Fransisco 49ers' defense, (linebacker) NaVorro Bowman and the team that shutout the Los Angeles Rams.

"I gain nothing by talking in the past."

NOTES: QB Cam Newton needs two more passing touchdowns to tie Jake Delhomme (120) for most in franchise history. ... RB Jonathan Stewart popped up on Wednesday's injury report as limited with a sore ankle. Coach Ron Rivera said Stewart doesn't know when he tweaked the ankle, but "there's no concern" about his status for Sunday. ... S Dean Marlowe could make his season debut Sunday. Marlowe, who's been dealing with a strained hamstring for more than five weeks, was held out in Denver. If Marlowe is active against the 49ers, the Panthers would have likely make LB Jeremy Cash or CB Teddy Williams inactive.