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NEW YORK (AP) — Three of the NFL’s best defensive players , Bobby Wagner, Jadeveon Clowney and Chandler Jones, have been fined $20,054 each by the league for hits in last week’s games.Clowney and Chandler were docked for roughing-the-passer calls, while Wagner was penalized for a facemask penalty.Those were not the largest fines announced by the league Saturday.Seattle cornerback Justin Coleman’s unnecessary roughness penalty against San Francisco cost him $26,739. Also fined that amount was Cleveland linebacker Jamie Collins for the same call.New Orleans rookie DE Marcus Davenport was fined $20 ,054 for roughing the passer against Carolina.Docked $10,026 for unnecessary roughness were Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith and running back Kenneth Dixon; Broncos cornerback Jamar Taylor; Browns receiver Antonio Callaway; Rams cornerback Marcus Peters; and Panthers guard Andrus Peat.On Friday, Panthers safety Eric Reid said he was fined a fourth time this season by the NFL for an illegal hit — this time one that didn’t draw a flag —in the loss to the Saints. He was fined $20,054. Panthers quarterback Cam Newton has an MVP award on his mantel.But to his mind, he’s never played better than he’s playing right now.Newton said he feels like a far more complete player than at any point in his career, including when he led an odd menagerie of receivers to a 15-1 record and the league’s highest-scoring offense in 2015.鈥淗onestly , I feel like I鈥檓 playing the best football of my career,鈥?Newton said, via Jourdan Rodrigue of the Charlotte Observer. 鈥淪traight-up. I just feel in control. There鈥檚 no question marks. My assuredness of every single play, I know exactly what I鈥檓 supposed to do. . . . It鈥檚 just, I don鈥檛 want to sound 鈥榣ike that鈥? but I know my worth. I know who I am. . . . That鈥檚 all personal. And that comes with preparation.鈥淚 feel like, when somebody is at their best and facing me , and I鈥檓 at my best, we win. You know what I鈥檓 saying?鈥漌hile that might sound less-than-humble, Newton’s also speaking from a factual basis. Buoyed by a new (and actual) offensive coordinator in Norv Turner and a fleet of quick-twitch receiving targets, Newton is excelling.He’s setting a new career-high with a 69.6 completion percentage (his previous high was 61.7), and has registered a passer rating of 100 in six straight games. He’s thrown 22 touchdowns and just seven interceptions, a bigger margin than he’s put on the board in that category as well.He benefits from playing at a time when passing numbers are up league-wide , but he’s also frustrated that his personal play hasn’t translated into more wins, and that still bothers him.鈥淸In the past when I was playing my best], I was rewarded with victories,鈥?he said. 鈥淣ow, it鈥檚 tougher that we鈥檙e not winning. . . .鈥淭he selfish me would have been like, 鈥極h , I鈥檓 good. We ain鈥檛 losing because of me. But that鈥檚 not where I am right now in my career.鈥滻f he keeps playing this way, the Panthers still have a solid chance to make the playoffs in a muddled NFC wild card field.
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