The images of four helmet-to-helmet hits on Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton are lasting, and the fines to Denver Broncos safety Darian Stewart and linebacker Brandon Marshall were costly ($18,231 for Stewart and $24,309 for Marshall).

But when it comes to Sunday's Panthers-49ers game, former NFL referee Gerry Austin said the officiating approach should remain consistent despite national scrutiny following the season opener.

"Whatever happened to Cam last week, whatever Cam said to the news media, you should not allow it to affect yourself," said Austin, who worked 25 years in the NFL and has refereed Super Bowls. "I want a call to be solid, but if it involves a safety factor, then it narrows the window of leniency.

"The referee, the white hat, has to put himself into that position. The most important job as a white hat is to protect the quarterback."

Come kickoff on Sunday in Charlotte, John Parry will be the man in the white hat entrusted to protect Newton and Blaine Gabbert. Last season, Parry's crew finished on the low-end in "behavior" penalties: taunting, personal fouls, roughing the passer, unnecessary roughness and unsportsmanlike conduct. Parry called 22 such penalties, tied for the fourth-lowest in the league.

In other words, Parry can be trigger-shy throwing the flag.

"My calls also ranked near the bottom," Austin said. "Some referees make a lot more. John's calls may be quality, just not as many."

Parry's crew was criticized for not making enough calls in January. He was the head ref in the Bengals-Steelers playoff game, after which the league fined players (and coaches) from both teams almost $85,000.

"They did as much as they could do to control that game," Austin said. "You can throw a flag, but they'll say we can do what we can to overcome another one. If two teams go at each other like the Steelers and Bengals, all you can do is keep throwing, but that doesn't mean you'll have it under control."

On Sunday, the spotlight on player safety will be focused almost solely on Newton. Panthers players were critical of Newton's treatment in the season opener. But this week Newton dismissed questions about his own safety concerns.

"I'm not here to worry about retirement plans, to worry about pensions, to hear about workers comp," Newton said. "I'm here to win football games. Simple and plain."

However, the league office has to consider it, and so will Parry's crew. Some point to the size of the 6-foot-5, 245-pound Newton as making it tougher to protect him, in addition to his playing style -- he just surpassed Steve Young's record for the most games (32) with a passing and rushing touchdown. Newton passed that mark in just 79 starts.

"In the NFL until recent years, you didn't have quarterbacks who ran with the ball," Austin said. "Now you have quarterbacks with plays designed with them to run."

Panthers defensive end Kony Ealy said officials should keep the treatment of Newton consistent with other quarterbacks in the league.

"It's not fair at times, especially when you see penalties getting called against other quarterbacks, and I'm not naming no names," Ealy said. "I will say that some quarterbacks get favored more than others in this league."

Despite some Panthers protests, specifically when it comes to Newton, a ref has to determine the "mode" of the quarterback, according to Austin.

"If the player drops back, it's a quarterback -- defenseless," Austin said. "When he tucks the ball in, he's treated like any other runner. There are two different guidelines involved with how the quarterback is judged."

Austin referenced a play in Denver when Newton rolled out to escape pressure. He said the minute Newton brings his arm up to throw he deserves quarterback protection again.

"It's not how big he is, it's what mode he's in."

After the discourse on player safety the past week, it's hard to argue that there won't be increased pressure on officials to get player safety calls right on Sunday. But none of that should affect how Parry's crew calls the game.

"You just have to go with what you have that week," Austin said. "There's an axiom in officiating: 'You're only as good as your next call.'"