Foxborough, Mass. — Given how hard it is to win games in the National Football League, Cam Newton was not about to minimize the fact that the Patriots did in fact defeat the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, 36-20.

But he was not completely thrilled with his own performance. Newton started slowly and finished 17-for-28 for 162 yards passing with one touchdown and one interception.

Asked to give himself a grade during his weekly spot on The Greg Hill Show on WEEI, Newton said he'd give himself something in the "mid Cs."

"(Sunday) was kind of frustrating in itself and I do understand, I've played in this league long enough, that in games like that, you've just got to find ways to win. So that's the optimistic answer," said Newton. "Me personally? It was lackluster ball security, just a slow start offensively. Just a subpar performance from me. And I know I can play better, I know I can do better and I know I will be better."

Late in the first quarter, Newton was flushed out of the pocket and was intercepted by Johnathan Abram on a pass intended for Rex Burkhead.

"Trying to do too much. That simple," said Newton. "I lost the defender and you're scrambling you just kind of assume that people are going with certain people, and he just peeled back and I didn't take it into account. But things like that just can't happen."

But again, Newton did not want to downplay the fact that the Patriots won the game and, in the end, rather handily.

"Playing in this league you're not just going to steamroll every team," said Newton. "At one point, I did look up at the stat line of total offense, and we did surpass 400 yards (406). So let's not be naive about the fact that when we did get it rolling, we got it rolling. With Sony (Michel) running the way he's running, (Burkhead) playing the way he's playing, that position group, the running backs, had the light shining on them all day and it showed by the production that they gave us."

Newton also talked about his documentary series "86 Nights," the title of which refers to amount of time he was without an NFL contract. He sad he wanted to show in the docuseries the more human side of his life away from football.

Asked if he's still motivated by the fact that he went unsigned for so long, Newton did not mince words.

"Man, listen, I'm a person that takes anything to heart. I mean anything," said Newton. "This whole decision, and not to keep beating a dead horse, this is a business trip for me. The fact that I don't have none my children here in Boston with me and the fact that I haven't been able to see them (regularly), that's angering in itself for me. I wake up every morning missing the hell out of my children and knowing that, if I don't do what I'm supposed to do, then this could be good riddance for me and that's as serious as I'm making it and that's as serious as it is.

"Not only to mention I have so much to prove, I could care less about other critics, but I have so much to prove to myself. I see a lot great football being played, I have seen a lot of great football being played over the time that I was injured and whatnot and you have to question yourself and question the man that you are and say 'Can you still play at a high level?' So there's an expectation that I have for myself."

Asked what it would take to turn this "business trip" with the Patriots into a long-term relationship, Newton said that for now he's focused on taking care of his on-field performance.

"It's always about taking care of business," he said. "And my focus is so near-sighted that I'm trying to make things work. And if I'm looking for long-term results with not too many things to have leverage on, then that's not good."

"For me, I'm just looking at the opportunity that I have been given, and it's a great opportunity, I'll tell you that, and I think people already know that. And it's just up to me on how do I finish what I started. It's not necessarily about the things that people want to make it about. It's about going out each and every week and first off winning. And then everything else falls in place."