Bucs middle linebacker Mason Foster saw enough of Panthers quarterback Cam Newton last year to learn a big lesson:

Don’t focus too much on stopping Newton.

The Panthers are not a one-man team, despite the heroics of Newton. Trying to shut down Newton might result in getting roasted by one of Newton’s teammates.

“You definitely have to keep him in the pocket and try to keep him from scrambling but at the same time they have a lot of other weapons that make a lot of plays,” Foster said. “You just have to play all around good defense.

“You have to focus on [Newton] definitely; he’s a great athlete who makes plays with his feet. At the same time they have a lot of other weapons around him so you have to play him like a regular team. Have to compete and make plays and keep them from making big plays.”

Foster tried to downplay that stopping Newton and the Panthers is akin to stopping Superman. The NFL is full of stud players, Foster said.

“Every game is a big challenge, if it’s not Cam Newton it is somebody else,” Foster said. “If it’s not tackling DeAngelo Williams it is tackling Jonathan Stewart. Every week is a big challenge, just take it in stride and compete at the highest level and make plays.”