2015 Carolina Panthers season

NFL team season record August 2023 March 2026 Carolina Panthers 2015 15–1 1st NFC South Ron Rivera Mike Shula Sean McDermott Jerry Richardson Dave Gettleman Bank of America Stadium Won Divisional Playoffs(vs. Seahawks) 31–24 Won NFC Championship(vs. Cardinals) 49–15Lost Super Bowl 50(vs. Broncos) 10–24 Selected but did not participate due to participation in Super Bowl 50: 10 QB Cam Newton RB Jonathan Stewart FB Mike Tolbert TE Greg Olsen G Trai Turner C Ryan Kalil DT Kawann Short OLB Thomas Davis ILB Luke Kuechly CB Josh Norman 8 QB Cam Newton (1st team) FB Mike Tolbert (1st team) C Ryan Kalil (1st team) OLB Thomas Davis (1st team) ILB Luke Kuechly (1st team) CB Josh Norman (1st team) TE Greg Olsen (2nd team) DT Kawann Short (2nd team) 250px Panthers seasons The 2015 season was the Carolina Panthers' 21st in the National Football League (NFL) and their fifth under head coach Ron Rivera. This season marked the first time in team history they played on Thanksgiving. The Panthers had their best single-season turnaround in team history, going from 7–8–1 to 15–1. Despite waiving longtime running back and franchise rushing leader DeAngelo Williams and losing top wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin to a torn ACL in the preseason,2015-08-20 Panthers WR Kelvin Benjamin tears ACL in practice https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/panthers/2015/08/19/panthers-receiver-benjamin-carted-off-field--leg-injury/31982121/ 2016-01-30 Usatoday.com 2015-10-25 https://web.archive.org/web/20151025180030/http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/panthers/2015/08/19/panthers-receiver-benjamin-carted-off-field--leg-injury/31982121/ live the Panthers had their best regular season in franchise history and one of the best regular seasons in NFL history. They finished the regular season 15–1, becoming the seventh team to win at least 15 regular season games since the league expanded to a 16-game schedule in 1978. The Panthers joined the 1984 San Francisco 49ers, 1985 Chicago Bears (for whom Rivera played as a linebacker), 1998 Minnesota Vikings, 2004 Pittsburgh Steelers, 2007 New England Patriots (who were a perfect 16–0 in the regular season) and the 2011 Green Bay Packers as the only teams to accomplish this feat. They would be the final 15-game winner before the NFL expanded to a 17 game schedule in 2021. Their 15-win record would eventually be matched by the 2024 Kansas City Chiefs and 2024 Detroit Lions. Carolina started the season 14–0, not only setting franchise records for the best start and the longest single-season winning streak, but also posting the best start to a season by an NFC team since the NFL–AFL merger, breaking the 13–0 record previously shared with their division rival 2009 New Orleans Saints and the aforementioned 2011 Packers. They joined the 1972 Miami Dolphins, 2007 Patriots and 2009 Indianapolis Colts, all from the AFC, as the only teams to reach 14–0. Carolina clinched their third straight NFC South title on December 6, when the Atlanta Falcons lost earlier that day, becoming the first team to clinch a playoff berth that season, and giving the Panthers a home playoff game for the third consecutive year. The Panthers' undefeated streak came to an end at the hands of the Falcons in a Week 16 rematch. A week later, however, Carolina routed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to finish 15–1, giving the Panthers home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs for the first time in franchise history. The Panthers had the league's top offense, and quarterback Cam Newton was named the NFL Most Valuable Player (MVP). In the playoffs, the Panthers defeated the Seattle Seahawks 31–24 in the divisional round, avenging their elimination at the hands of the Seahawks from the previous season. The Panthers then blew out the Arizona Cardinals in the NFC Championship game by a score of 49–15 to reach their second Super Bowl appearance in franchise history. In the NFL's title game, the Panthers lost to the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 50 by a score of 24–10, thus becoming the fifth straight team to have at least 15 victories and not win the Super Bowl. As of 2025, this is most recent postseason win for the Panthers, having gone 0–3 (including the loss in Super Bowl 50) since. It was also the last time they clinched the NFC South until 2025. 3 Draft 2015 NFL draft 2015 Carolina Panthers 1 25 Shaq Thompson LB Washington yes 2 41 Devin Funchess WR Michigan yes 4 102 Daryl Williams OT Oklahoma 5 169 David Mayo LB Texas St Compensatory 5 174 Cameron Artis-Payne RB Auburn Compensatory Note: The Panthers did not have selections in the third, sixth or seventh rounds as a result of the following trades: Trading their second-, third- and sixth- round selections (Nos. 57, 89 and 201 overall, respectively) to the St. Louis Rams in exchange for the Rams' second-round selection (No. 41 overall); Trading their fourth-, fifth- and seventh-round selections (Nos. 124, 161 and 242 overall, respectively) to the Oakland Raiders in exchange for the Raiders' fourth-round selection (No. 102 overall). Staff 2015 Carolina Panthers Owner/founder – Jerry Richardson President – Danny Morrison general manager – Dave Gettleman Assistant general manager – Brandon Beane Director of team administration – Rob Rogers Director of pro scouting – Mark Koncz Director of college scouting – Don Gregory National scout – Jeff Morrow National scout – Mike Szabo Football operations manager – Bryan Porter Football operations assistant – Matt Allen Football operations assistant – Mike Anderson Director of player development – Mark Carrier Executive assistant to the Head Coach – Linda O'Hora Head coach – Ron Rivera Assistant head coach/secondary – Steve Wilks Offensive coordinator – Mike Shula Quarterbacks – Ken Dorsey Running backs – Jim Skipper Wide receivers – Ricky Proehl Assistant wide receivers – Cameron Turner Tight ends – Pete Hoener Offensive line – John Matsko Assistant offensive line – Ray Brown Defensive coordinator – Sean McDermott Defensive line – Eric Washington Assistant defensive line – Sam Mills III Linebackers – Al Holcomb Assistant defensive backs – Richard Rodgers Sr. Special teams coordinator – Bruce DeHaven Assistant special teams/nickelbacks – Curtis Fuller Assistant special teams – Russ Purnell Strength and conditioning – Joe Kenn Cardio coach – Henry Phillips Dietitian – Jack Beilman Assistant strength and conditioning – Jason Benguche Final roster 2015 Carolina Panthers 53 8 10  3 Derek Anderson American football  1 Cam Newton 34 Cameron Artis-Payne y 28 Jonathan Stewart 35 Mike Tolbert FB 32 Brandon Wegh y 43 Fozzy Whittaker 11 Brenton Bersin 10 Corey Brown American football 82 Jerricho Cotchery 17 Devin Funchess y 19 Ted Ginn Jr. 81 Kevin Norwood 14 Joe Webb 84 Ed Dickson 88 Greg Olsen American football 80 Scott Simonson 67 Ryan Kalil C 68 Andrew Norwell G 73 Michael Oher T 74 Mike Remmers T 79 Chris Scott offensive lineman G 70 Trai Turner G 61 Fernando Velasco American football C 60 Daryl Williams American football T y 97 Mario Addison DE 69 Jared Allen DE 91 Ryan Delaire y DE 94 Kony Ealy DE 92 Dwan Edwards DT 95 Charles Johnson defensive end DE 98 Star Lotulelei DT 93 Kyle Love DT 99 Kawann Short DT 58 Thomas Davis Sr. OLB 53 Ben Jacobs American football OLB 56 A. J. Klein OLB/MLB 59 Luke Kuechly MLB 55 David Mayo MLB y 54 Shaq Thompson OLB y 33 Tre Boston FS 20 Kurt Coleman FS 26 Cortland Finnegan CB 41 Roman Harper SS 42 Colin Jones American football FS 29 Dean Marlowe y SS 27 Robert McClain CB 24 Josh Norman cornerback CB 31 Charles Tillman CB 21 Teddy Williams American football CB  9 Graham Gano K 44 J. J. Jansen LS  8 Brad Nortman P 90 Frank Alexander American football DE IR 13 Kelvin Benjamin WR IR 25 Bené Benwikere CB IR 78 Nate Chandler T IR 69 Tyronne Green G IR 87 Stephen Hill American football WR IR 71 Arthur Miley y DE IR 66 Amini Silatolu G IR 65 Chas Alecxih DT 85 Nate Askew TE 36 Marcus Ball SS 51 Brian Blechen y OLB 18 Damiere Byrd y WR 77 Rakim Cox DE 62 Reese Dismukes y G 37 Ras-I Dowling FS 63 David Foucault T 22 Lou Young cornerback CB Schedule Preseason Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 August 14, 2015 at Buffalo Bills W 25–24 1–0 Ralph Wilson Stadium Recap 2 August 22, 2015 Miami Dolphins W 31–30 2–0 Bank of America Stadium Recap 3 August 28, 2015 New England Patriots L 16–17 2–1 Bank of America Stadium Recap 4 September 3, 2015 at Pittsburgh Steelers W 23–6 3–1 Heinz Field Recap Regular season Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 September 13 at Jacksonville Jaguars W 20–9 1–0 EverBank Field Recap 2 September 20 Houston Texans W 24–17 2–0 Bank of America Stadium Recap 3 September 27 New Orleans Saints W 27–22 3–0 Bank of America Stadium Recap 4 October 4 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 37–23 4–0 Raymond James Stadium Recap 5Bye 6 October 18 at Seattle Seahawks W 27–23 5–0 CenturyLink Field Recap 7 October 25 Philadelphia Eagles W 27–16 6–0 Bank of America Stadium Recap 8 November 2, 2015 Indianapolis Colts W 29–26 (OT) 7–0 Bank of America Stadium Recap 9 November 8 Green Bay Packers W 37–29 8–0 Bank of America Stadium Recap 10 November 15 at Tennessee Titans W 27–10 9–0 Nissan Stadium Recap 11 November 22 Washington Redskins W 44–16 10–0 Bank of America Stadium Recap 12 November 26 at Dallas Cowboys W 33–14 11–0 AT&T Stadium Recap 13 December 6 at New Orleans Saints W 41–38 12–0 Mercedes-Benz Superdome Recap 14 December 13 Atlanta Falcons W 38–0 13–0 Bank of America Stadium Recap 15 December 20 at New York Giants W 38–35 14–0 MetLife Stadium Recap 16 December 27 at Atlanta FalconsL 13–20 14–1 Georgia Dome Recap 17 January 3 Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 38–10 15–1 Bank of America Stadium Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. Postseason 2015–16 NFL playoffs Round Date Opponent (seed) Result Record Venue Recap Wild CardFirst-round bye Divisional January 17, 2016 Seattle Seahawks (6) W 31–24 1–0 Bank of America Stadium Recap NFC Championship January 24, 2016 Arizona Cardinals (2) W 49–15 2–0 Bank of America Stadium Recap Super Bowl 50 February 7, 2016 vs. Denver Broncos (A1) L 10–24 2–1 Levi's Stadium Recap Game summaries Regular season Week 1: at Jacksonville Jaguars Carolina Panthers; border:2px solid black;text-align:center; autocollapse Week One: Carolina Panthers at Jacksonville Jaguars – Game summary September 13 1:00 p.m. EDT Panthers 3 7 7 3 Jaguars 3 6 0 0 EverBank Field, Jacksonville, Florida 60,733 77 F C, 0% chance of rain Ron Torbert Fox Chris Myers, Ronde Barber and Jennifer Hale Recap, Gamebook First quarter CAR – Graham Gano 43-yard field goal, 7:49. Panthers 3–0. Drive: 14 plays, 55 yards, 5:47. JAX – Jason Myers 22-yard field goal, 0:59. Tied 3–3. Drive: 11 plays, 54 yards, 4:26. Second quarter CAR – Jerricho Cotchery 7-yard pass from Cam Newton, (Graham Gano kick), 1:52. Panthers 10–3. Drive: 12 plays, 66 yards, 5:27. JAX – Rashad Greene 1-yard pass from Blake Bortles, (Jason Myers missed XP), 0:14. Panthers 10–9. Drive: 9 plays, 65 yards, 1:38. Third quarter CAR – Josh Norman 30-yard interception return, (Graham Gano kick), 9:01. Panthers 17–9. Fourth quarter CAR – Graham Gano 47-yard field goal, 2:41. Panthers 20–9. Drive: 15 plays, 64 yards, 8:07. Top passers CAR – Cam Newton – 18/31, 175 yards, TD, INT JAX – Blake Bortles – 22/40, 183 yards, TD, 2 INT Top rushers CAR – Jonathan Stewart – 18 rushes, 56 yards JAX – T. J. Yeldon – 12 rushes, 51 yards Top receivers CAR – Ted Ginn Jr. – 2 rec, 54 yards JAX – Allen Hurns – 5 rec, 60 yards Top tacklers CAR – Thomas Davis – 7 tackles, sack JAX – Paul Posluszny – 9 tackles Panthers CB Josh Norman intercepted one of Blake Bortles' passes, returning it for a touchdown and WR Jericho Cotchery caught the first Panthers offensive TD of the year as Carolina started the 2015 season 1–0. However, linebacker Luke Kuechly sustained a concussion during the game and would be out for the next three weeks. Week 2: vs. Houston Texans Carolina Panthers 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Two: Houston Texans at Carolina Panthers – Game summary September 20 1:00 pm. EDT Texans 3 0 7 7 Panthers 0 10 7 7 Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina 73,254 88 F C, sunny Clete Blakeman CBS Greg Gumbel, Trent Green and Jamie Erdahl Recap, Gamebook First quarter HOU – Randy Bullock 43-yard field goal, 7:57. Texans 3–0. Drive: 13 plays, 53 yards, 3:48. Second quarter CAR – Ted Ginn Jr. 25-yard pass from Cam Newton, (Graham Gano kick), 11:22. Panthers 7–3. Drive: 5 plays, 74 yards, 2:04. CAR – Graham Gano 28-yard field goal, 5:26. Panthers 10–3. Drive: 10 plays, 51 yards, 4:39. Third quarter HOU – Garrett Graham 7-yard pass from Ryan Mallett, (Randy Bullock kick), 8:29. Tied 10–10. Drive: 13 plays, 80 yards, 6:31. CAR – Cam Newton 2-yard run, (Graham Gano kick), 1:04. Panthers 17–10. Drive: 14 plays, 80 yards, 7:25. Fourth quarter CAR – Corey Brown 36-yard pass from Cam Newton, (Graham Gano kick), 8:53. Panthers 24–10. Drive: 1 play, 36 yards, 0:09. HOU – Ryan Mallett 6-yard run, (Randy Bullock kick), 6:31. Panthers 24–17. Drive: 7 plays, 80 yards, 2:22. Top passers HOU – Ryan Mallett – 27/58, 244 yards, TD, INT CAR – Cam Newton – 18/37, 195 yards, 2 TD, INT Top rushers HOU – Chris Polk – 14 rushes, 38 yards CAR – Cam Newton – 10 rushes, 76 yards, TD Top receivers HOU – Nate Washington – 3 rec, 63 yards CAR – Greg Olsen – 6 rec, 70 yards Top tacklers HOU – Quintin Demps – 8 tackles, 0.5 sacks CAR – Kurt Coleman – 9 tackles Carolina's home opener was highlighted by QB Cam Newton's flip into the end zone in the 3rd quarter. Despite the athletic move, the team still had to endure a final Houston drive to ensure the victory. With the win, the Panthers improved to 2–0. Week 3: vs. New Orleans Saints Carolina Panthers 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Three: New Orleans Saints at Carolina Panthers – Game summary September 27 1:00 pm. EDT Saints 3 7 6 6 Panthers 0 10 10 7 Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina 73,402 69 F C, rain Ed Hochuli Fox Chris Myers, Ronde Barber and Jennifer Hale Recap, Gamebook First quarter NO – Zach Hocker 31-yard field goal, 9:00. Saints 3–0. Drive: 12 plays, 67 yards, 6:00. Second quarter NO – Mark Ingram II 5-yard run, (Zach Hocker kick), 11:44. Saints 10–0. Drive: 16 plays, 94 yards, 9:11. CAR – Greg Olsen 11-yard pass from Cam Newton, (Graham Gano kick), 5:14. Saints 10–7. Drive: 12 plays, 80 yards, 6:30. CAR – Graham Gano 20-yard field goal, 0:02. Tied 10–10. Drive: 11 plays, 79 yards, 2:04. Third quarter NO – Marcus Murphy 74-yard punt return, (2-point conversion: run failed), 12:31. Saints 16–10. CAR – Greg Olsen 11-yard pass from Cam Newton, (Graham Gano kick), 8:43. Panthers 17–16. Drive: 6 plays, 83 yards, 3:48. CAR – Graham Gano 47-yard field goal, 1:31. Panthers 20–16. Drive: 9 plays, 29 yards, 3:16. Fourth quarter CAR – Cam Newton 13-yard run, (Graham Gano kick), 9:32. Panthers 27–16. Drive: 9 plays, 88 yards, 4:05. NO – Khiry Robinson 2-yard run, (2-point conversion: pass failed), 4:50. Panthers 27–22. Drive: 10 plays, 80 yards, 4:42. Top passers NO – Luke McCown – 31/38, 310 yards, INT CAR – Cam Newton – 20/31, 315 yards, 2 TD Top rushers NO – Mark Ingram II – 14 rushes, 50 yards, TD CAR – Jonathan Stewart – 14 rushes, 52 yards Top receivers NO – Brandin Cooks – 7 rec, 79 yards CAR – Greg Olsen – 8 rec, 134 yards, 2 TD Top tacklers NO – Ramon Humber – 9 tackles CAR – Thomas Davis – 10 tackles In a close contest the Saints, with backup QB Luke McCown starting in place of an injured Drew Brees, almost stole the victory. McCown threw for over 300 yards as the score went back and forth. On the Saints last drive, McCown's 4th quarter end zone heave was intercepted by Josh Norman, sealing the win for Carolina. With the victory, the Panthers improved to 3–0. Week 4: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers {{Americanfootballbox |titlestyle=Carolina Panthers; border:2px solid black;text-align:center; |state=autocollapse |title=Week Four: Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Game summary |date=October 4 |time=1:00 pm. EDT |road=Panthers |R1=10|R2=7|R3=14|R4=6 |home=Buccaneers |H1=3|H2=7|H3=7|H4=6 |stadium=Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida |attendance=57,468 |weather=74 F C, cloudy |referee=Gene Steratore |TV=Fox |TVAnnouncers=Chris Myers, Ronde Barber and Jennifer Hale |reference=Recap, Gamebook |scoring= First quarter CAR – Graham Gano 24-yard field goal, 12:09. Panthers 3–0. Drive: 5 plays, 15 yards, 2:12. CAR – Josh Norman 46-yard interception return, (Graham Gano kick), 10:41. Panthers 10–0. Drive: 3 plays, 2 yards, 1:28. TB – Kyle Brindza 42-yard field goal, 7:03. Panthers 10–3. Drive: 7 plays, 39 yards, 3:38.Second quarter CAR – Ted Ginn Jr. 6-yard pass from Cam Newton, (Graham Gano kick), 10:50. Panthers 17–3. Drive: 8 plays, 45 yards, 3:24. TB – Doug Martin 5-yard run, (Kyle Brindza kick), 4:23. Panthers 17–10. Drive: 13 plays, 80 yards, 6:27.Third quarter CAR – Ed Dickson 57-yard fumble recovery, (Graham Gano kick), 12:25. Panthers 24–10. Drive: 1 play, 67 yards, 0:13. CAR – Ted Ginn Jr. 12-yard pass from Cam Newton, (Graham Gano kick), 7:25. Panthers 31–10. Drive: 5 plays, 33 yards, 2:25. TB – Charles Sims 10-yard pass from Jameis Winston, (Kyle Brindza kick), 2:48. Panthers 31–17. Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards, 4:37.Fourth quarter CAR – Graham Gano 27-yard field goal, 13:28. Panthers 34–17. Drive: 8 plays, 60 yards, 4:20. CAR – Graham Gano 27-yard field goal, 4:15. Panthers 37–17. Drive: 6 plays, 20 yards, 2:41. TB – Vincent Jackson 6-yard pass from Jameis Winston, (kick failed), 0:58. Panthers 37–23. Drive: 11 plays, 81 yards, 3:17. |stats=Top passers CAR – Cam Newton – 11/22, 124 yards, 2 TD TB – Jameis Winston – 26/43, 287 yards, 2 TD, 4 INTTop rushers CAR – Cam Newton – 12 rushes, 51 yards TB – Doug Martin – 20 rushes, 106 yardsTop receivers CAR – Brenton Bersin – 4 rec, 54 yards TB – Vincent Jackson – 10 rec, 147 yardsTop tacklers''' CAR – Thomas Davis – 11 tackles TB – Chris Conte – 8 tackles }} Josh Norman had his second pick-six of the season and Tampa Bay QB Jameis Winston threw 4 interceptions, with Norman intercepting a second one later in the game. On the game's most bizarre play, the ball was stripped from RB Jonathan Stewart by a Tampa defender; the ball flew up in the air and TE Ed Dickson, who'd been trailing the play, grabbed it and ran untouched into the end zone. With the victory, the Panthers improved to 4–0. Carolina also became one of five teams to finish the first quarter of the season undefeated overall, and one of three NFC teams to do so. Week 6: at Seattle Seahawks Carolina Panthers 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Six: Carolina Panthers at Seattle Seahawks – Game summary October 18 4:05 pm. EDT/1:05 p.m. PDT Panthers 0 7 7 13 Seahawks 3 7 10 3 CenturyLink Field, Seattle, Washington 69,020 61 F C, cloudy Terry McAulay Fox Sam Rosen, John Lynch and Pam Oliver Recap, Gamebook First quarter SEA – Steven Hauschka 30-yard field goal, 5:37. Seahawks 3–0. Drive: 5 plays, 21 yards, 2:36. Second quarter CAR – Cam Newton 2-yard run, (Graham Gano kick), 13:30. Panthers 7–3. Drive: 14 plays, 80 yards, 7:07. SEA – Marshawn Lynch 1-yard run, (Steven Hauschka kick), 8:00. Seahawks 10–7. 12 plays, 90 yards, 5:30. Third quarter SEA – Ricardo Lockette 40-yard pass from Russell Wilson, (Steven Hauschka kick), 11:27. Seahawks 17–7. Drive: 4 plays, 63 yards, 1:58. SEA – Steven Hauschka 50-yard field goal, 8:49. Seahawks 20–7. Drive: 4 plays, 1 yard, 1:51. CAR – Jonathan Stewart 1-yard run, (Graham Gano kick), 3:34. Seahawks 20–14. Drive: 11 plays, 80 yards, 5:15. Fourth quarter SEA – Steven Hauschka 43-yard field goal, 11:46. Seahawks 23–14. Drive: 8 plays, 59 yards, 4:11. CAR – Jonathan Stewart 1-yard run, (kick failed), 3:55. Seahawks 23–20. Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards, 4:13. CAR – Greg Olsen 26-yard pass from Cam Newton, (Graham Gano kick), 0:32. Panthers 27–23. Drive: 8 plays 80 yards, 1:48. Top passers CAR – Cam Newton – 20/36, 269 yards, TD, 2 INT SEA – Russell Wilson – 18/30, 241 yards, TD Top rushers CAR – Jonathan Stewart – 20 rushes, 78 yards SEA – Marshawn Lynch – 17 rushes, 54 yards Top receivers CAR – Greg Olsen – 7 rec, 131 yards SEA – Jimmy Graham – 8 rec, 140 yards Top tacklers CAR – Luke Kuechly – 14 tackles SEA – K.J. Wright – 12 tackles After a bye week the Panthers flew to Washington state for their fifth meeting with the Seattle Seahawks in the Rivera/Newton era; the past four meetings were all close, low-scoring games won by Seattle. Challenges started early on game day for the Panthers, as a fire alarm was pulled at 5:40 am at their hotel.Newton David 2015-10-18 Panthers awoken by early-morning fire alarm at hotel in Seattle https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/13915023/carolina-panthers-upset-fire-alarm-pulled-hotel live https://web.archive.org/web/20160131084619/http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/13915023/carolina-panthers-upset-fire-alarm-pulled-hotel 2016-01-31 2016-01-30 ESPN.com Mere hours later, in front of a capacity crowd at CenturyLink Field, Carolina overcame a slow first three-quarters, including giving up a reverse flea flicker TD pass, to stun the Seahawks in the 4th. After coming back from a 14-point deficit (down 20–7 at one point), Carolina's defense managed to stop Seattle's offense. With just over two minutes to play Cam Newton led the offense down the field 80 yards (the fourth time he'd done so in the game) down 23–20. The drive concluded at around half a minute to play, when Newton found TE Greg Olsen wide open in the end zone for the go-ahead touchdown. Carolina's defense stuffed Seattle's last offensive possession, ending the game. With the surprising win, the Panthers improved to 5–0, their first such start since 2003. It was also in this game that Cam Newton debuted the 'dab' touchdown dance after a rushing TD, which was quickly imitated by other players around the NFL and in college football. Week 7: vs. Philadelphia Eagles Carolina Panthers 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Seven: Philadelphia Eagles at Carolina Panthers – Game summary October 25 8:30 pm. EDT Eagles 0 6 10 0 Panthers 7 7 7 6 Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina 74,194 71 F C, cloudy Craig Wrolstad NBC Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth and Michele Tafoya Recap, Gamebook First quarter CAR – Mike Tolbert 2-yard run, (Graham Gano kick), 9:24. Panthers 7–0. Drive: 4 plays, 72 yards, 2:36. Second quarter PHI – Caleb Sturgis 52-yard field goal, 5:42. Panthers 7–3. Drive: 8 plays, 37 yards, 2:26. CAR – Cam Newton 2-yard run, (Graham Gano kick), 3:33. Panthers 14–3. Drive: 4 plays, 60 yards, 2:09. PHI – Caleb Sturgis 29-yard field goal, 0:04. Panthers 14–6. Drive: 7 plays, 28 yards, 1:01. Third quarter CAR – Mike Tolbert 2-yard pass from Cam Newton, (Graham Gano kick), 11:50. Panthers 21–6. Drive: 7 plays, 80 yards, 3:10. PHI – Ryan Matthews 63-yard run, (Caleb Sturgis kick), 9:32. Panthers 21–13. Drive: 5 plays, 80 yards, 2:18. PHI – Caleb Sturgis 24-yard field goal, 5:48. Panthers 21–16. Drive: 7 plays, 12 yards, 2:52. Fourth quarter CAR – Graham Gano 35-yard field goal, 8:59. Panthers 24–16. Drive: 8 plays, 43 yards, 2:59. CAR – Graham Gano 29-yard field goal, 0:18. Panthers 27–16. Drive: 4 plays, 5 yards, 1:37. Top passers PHI – Sam Bradford – 26/46, 205 yards, TD, INT CAR – Cam Newton – 14/24, 197 yards, TD, 3 INT Top rushers PHI – Ryan Matthews – 6 rushes, 97 yards CAR – Jonathan Stewart – 24 rushes, 125 yards Top receivers PHI – Zach Ertz – 5 rec, 63 yards CAR – Greg Olsen – 3 rec, 65 yards Top tacklers PHI – Nolan Carroll II – 9 tackles CAR – Thomas Davis – 13 tackles Carolina pulled out the pregame fireworks for their team introduction. Newton threw and ran for scores and fullback Mike Tolbert was responsible for two touchdowns. With yet another close win, this one coming down to a failed Eagles 4th-down conversion, the Panthers went 6–0 for the first time in franchise history. It also marked their first home victory on Sunday Night Football since 2009. This would be NBC Sunday Night Footballs last game in Charlotte since until 2026. Week 8: vs. Indianapolis Colts Carolina Panthers 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Eight: Indianapolis Colts at Carolina Panthers – Game summary November 2 Monday 8:30 pm. EST Colts 0 6 0 17 3 Panthers 10 0 7 6 6 Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina 74,136 60 F C, light rain Bill Vinovich ESPN Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden and Lisa Salters Recap, Gamebook First quarter CAR – Graham Gano 39-yard field goal, 13:41. Panthers 3–0. Drive: 4 plays, 3 yards, 0:44. CAR – Jonathan Stewart 3-yard run, (Graham Gano kick), 7:21. Panthers 10–0. Drive: 11 plays, 37 yards, 5:03. Second quarter IND – Adam Vinatieri 47-yard field goal, 10:24. Panthers 10–3. Drive: 7 plays, 27 yards, 4:16. IND – Adam Vinatieri 34-yard field goal, 7:04. Panthers 10–6. Drive: 4 plays, 6 yards, 1:04. Third quarter CAR – Greg Olsen 27-yard pass from Cam Newton, (Graham Gano kick), 0:14. Panthers 17–6. Drive: 2 plays, 29 yards, 0:48. Fourth quarter CAR – Corey Brown 8-yard pass from Cam Newton, (kick failed), 10:44. Panthers 23–6. Drive: 3 plays, 30 yards, 1:24. IND – Andre Johnson 18-yard pass from Andrew Luck, (Adam Vinatieri kick), 7:04. Panthers 23–13. Drive: 8 plays, 86 yards, 3:40. IND – Coby Fleener 8-yard pass from Andrew Luck, (Adam Vinatieri kick), 2:27. Panthers 23–20. Drive: 8 plays, 57 yards, 2:15. IND – Adam Vinatieri 24-yard field goal, 0:00. Tied 23–23. Drive: 16 plays, 54 yards, 2:02. Overtime IND – Adam Vinatieri 50-yard field goal, 12:04. Colts 26–23. Drive: 6 plays, 23 yards, 2:56. CAR – Graham Gano 42-yard field goal, 7:50. Tied 26–26. Drive: 9 plays, 57 yards, 4:14. CAR – Graham Gano 52-yard field goal, 5:22. Panthers 29–26. Drive: 4 plays, 5 yards, 1:40. Top passers IND – Andrew Luck – 23/47, 231 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT CAR – Cam Newton – 16/35, 248 yards, 2 TD, INT Top rushers IND – Frank Gore – 22 rushes, 70 yards CAR – Jonathan Stewart – 24 rushes, 82 yards Top receivers IND – Andre Johnson – 4 rec, 81 yards CAR – Greg Olsen – 6 rec, 79 yards Top tacklers IND – D'Qwell Jackson – 13 tackles CAR – Luke Kuechly – 14 tackles The Panthers came into the Monday night game as one of four undefeated teams in the NFL, while playing their second game in eight days. The team took to the field amid fireworks, as is their custom for prime-time contests. A heavy rain kept up most of the night, which saw both the drenched crowd of over 74,000 stay in their seats and a 23–6 Panther lead dissolve by a 17-point Colts comeback in the 4th. Indianapolis sent the game into overtime with a field goal following a near-pick by Kuechly; the extra period began close to midnight. Each team managed a field goal on their first two possessions. Carolina got a break when Colts QB Andrew Luck threw his third interception, which was picked off by Kuechly on the game's 154th play, according to ESPN play-by-play man Mike Tirico. A few plays later, Panthers kicker Graham Gano hit a 52-yard field goal, his longest of the season, to give Carolina the win early Tuesday morning. With the win, the Panthers went 7–0 for the first time in franchise history. Also, Carolina became the last undefeated team in the NFC with the Packers' loss to the Broncos the previous night on Sunday Night Football. Week 9: vs. Green Bay Packers Carolina Panthers 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Nine: Green Bay Packers at Carolina Panthers – Game summary November 8 1:00 pm. EST Packers 7 0 7 15 Panthers 3 24 3 7 Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina 74,461 57 F C, cloudy Gene Steratore Fox Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Erin Andrews Recap, Gamebook First quarter CAR – Graham Gano 20-yard field goal, 10:12. Panthers 3–0. Drive: 9 plays, 68 yards, 4:48. GB – Richard Rodgers 1-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers, (Mason Crosby kick), 0:55. Packers 7–3. Drive: 11 plays, 65 yards, 5:51. Second quarter CAR – Cam Newton 1-yard run, (Graham Gano kick), 12:09. Panthers 10–7. Drive: 7 plays, 80 yards, 3:46. CAR – Greg Olsen 7-yard pass from Cam Newton, (Graham Gano kick), 8:55. Panthers 17–7. Drive: 3 plays, 62 yards, 1:24. CAR – Graham Gano 49-yard field goal, 4:59. Panthers 20–7. Drive: 6 plays, 20 yards, 2:55. CAR – Corey Brown 39-yard pass from Cam Newton, (Graham Gano kick), 0:41. Panthers 27–7. Drive: 4 plays, 52 yards, 1:12. Third quarter GB – Randall Cobb 53-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers, (Mason Crosby kick), 14:00. Panthers 27–14. Drive: 3 plays, 80 yards, 1:00. CAR – Graham Gano 22-yard field goal, 4:48. Panthers 30–14. Drive: 13 plays, 82 yards, 6:35. Fourth quarter CAR – Devin Funchess 14-yard pass from Cam Newton, (Graham Gano kick), 9:22. Panthers 37–14. Drive: 5 plays, 74 yards, 2:21. GB – James Starks 29-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers, (2-point conversion: Davante Adams pass from Aaron Rodgers), 7:54. Panthers 37–22. Drive: 6 plays, 79 yards, 1:28. GB – Richard Rodgers 3-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers, (Mason Crosby kick), 3:43. Panthers 37–29. Drive: 8 plays, 72 yards, 2:38. Top passers GB – Aaron Rodgers – 25/48, 369 yards, 4 TDs, INT CAR – Cam Newton – 15/30, 297 yards, 3 TDs, INT Top rushers GB – James Starks – 10 rushes, 39 yards CAR – Jonathan Stewart – 20 rushes, 66 yards Top receivers GB – Randall Cobb – 4 receptions, 99 yards, TD CAR – Jerricho Cotchery – 3 receptions, 82 yards Top tacklers GB – Jake Ryan – 6 tackles, 1 tackle for loss CAR – Luke Kuechly – 6 tackles Green Bay came into Charlotte looking for a much-needed victory after their loss to Denver. The game was a 27–7 Panthers blowout in the first half, but came down to the wire as the Packers mounted a 4th quarter comeback, answered only by a single Panthers offensive TD. The last few minutes saw the Packers drive deep into Panthers territory, looking to get a touchdown and a game-tying two-point conversion. However, LB Thomas Davis intercepted an Aaron Rodgers pass on 4th down inside the red zone, ensuring the win for Carolina. With the close win the Panthers improved to 8–0 for the first time in franchise history. They were one of three teams to finish the first half of the season undefeated. Week 10: at Tennessee Titans Carolina Panthers 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Ten: Carolina Panthers at Tennessee Titans – Game summary November 15 1:00 pm. EST/12:00 p.m. CST Panthers 7 7 3 10 Titans 7 3 0 0 Nissan Stadium, Nashville, Tennessee 63,591 57 F C, cloudy Walt Anderson Fox Thom Brennaman, Charles Davis and Tony Siragusa Recap, Gamebook First quarter CAR – Jonathan Stewart 16-yard run, (Graham Gano kick), 8:43. Panthers 7–0. Drive: 8 plays, 63 yards, 5:15. TEN – Dexter McCluster 25-yard run, (Ryan Succop kick), 3:47. Tied 7–7. Drive: 10 plays, 82 yards, 4:58. Second quarter CAR – Ed Dickson 1-yard pass from Cam Newton,(Graham Gano kick), 13:17. Panthers 14–7. Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards, 5:24. TEN – Ryan Succop 45-yard field goal, 7:51. Panthers 14–10. Drive: 9 plays, 54 yards, 5:29. Third quarter CAR – Graham Gano 48-yard field goal, 0:28. Panthers 17–10. Drive: 7 plays, 39 yards, 3:38. Fourth quarter CAR – Graham Gano 19-yard field goal, 9:10. Panthers 20–10. Drive: 8 plays, 42 yards, 4:16. CAR – Cam Newton 2-yard run, (Graham Gano kick), 2:48. Panthers 27–10. Drive: 10 plays, 64 yards, 4:44. Top passers CAR – Cam Newton – 21/25, 217 yards, TD TEN – Marcus Mariota – 16/24, 185 yards, INT Top rushers CAR – Jonathan Stewart – 22 rushes, 91 yards, TD TEN – Dexter McCluster – 3 rushes, 25 yards, TD Top receivers CAR – Greg Olsen – 8 rec, 80 yards TEN – Delanie Walker – 3 rec, 52 yards Top tacklers CAR – Luke Kuechly – 8 tackles, FF TEN – Avery Williamson – 14 tackles The Panthers' hot streak continued as they went 9–0 for the first time in franchise history, eclipsing the eight-game win streak during the 2013 season. Carolina also won its first game against the Titans ever since they relocated to Tennessee. After the Cincinnati Bengals lost on Monday Night Football the next night, Carolina was one of 2 undefeateds left in the NFL, with the other being New England. Week 11: vs. Washington Redskins Carolina Panthers 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Eleven: Washington Redskins at Carolina Panthers – Game summary November 22 1:00 pm. EST Redskins 14 0 0 2 Panthers 14 17 10 3 Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina 74,418 50 F C, mostly sunny Jerome Boger Fox Thom Brennaman, Charles Davis and Tony Siragusa Recap, Gamebook First quarter CAR – Jonathan Stewart 12-yard TD pass from Cam Newton (Graham Gano made PAT) 9:56. Carolina 7–0. Drive: 3 plays, 31 yards, 1:28. WAS – DeSean Jackson 56-yard TD pass from Kirk Cousins (Dustin Hopkins made PAT) 8:26. Tied 7–7. Drive: 3 plays, 71 yards, 1:30. CAR – Mike Tolbert 3-yard TD pass from Cam Newton (Graham Gano made PAT) 0:41. Carolina 14–7. Drive: 13 plays, 85 yards, 7:45. WAS – Andre Roberts 99-yard TD kick return (Dustin Hopkins made PAT) 0:27. Tied 14–14. Drive: 1 play, 0 yards, 0:14 Second quarter CAR – Ted Ginn Jr. 2-yard TD pass from Cam Newton (Graham Gano made PAT) 8:21. Carolina 21–14. Drive: 8 plays, 69 yards, 4:06 CAR – Greg Olsen 5-yard TD pass from Cam Newton (Graham Gano made PAT) 5:14. Carolina 28–14. Drive: 6 plays, 34 yards, 2:51 CAR – Graham Gano 42-yard FG 0:00. Carolina 31–14. Drive: 8 plays, 38 yards, 1:51 Third quarter CAR – Devin Funchess 5-yard TD pass from Cam Newton (Graham Gano made PAT) 13:52. Carolina 38–14. Drive: 3 plays, 6 yards, 0:59 CAR – Graham Gano 48-yard FG 4:04. Carolina 41–14. Drive: 10 plays, 43 yards, 4:50 Fourth quarter CAR – Graham Gano 25-yard FG 10:36. Carolina 44–14. Drive: 9 plays, 58 yards, 5:46 WAS – Houston Bates Safety 0:16. Carolina 44–16. Drive: 1 play, 0 yards, 0:00 Top passers WAS – CAR – Top rushers WAS – CAR – Top receivers WAS – CAR – Top tacklers WAS – CAR – In a game marred with a high number of penalty flags, Carolina overcame a close 1st quarter to roll over Washington for the remainder of the game. Cam Newton tied the franchise record of five touchdown passes in one game. Most of the flags were against Washington's defense, including at least five neutral zone infraction penalties, where a defensive player crosses the imaginary line separating them and the offensive line. The Panthers' winning streak continued as they went 10–0 for the first time in franchise history. Week 12: at Dallas CowboysThanksgiving Day game''' Carolina Panthers; border:2px solid black;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Twelve: Carolina Panthers at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary November 26 Thursday 4:30 pm. EST/3:30 pm. CST Panthers 10 13 7 3 Cowboys 3 0 3 8 AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas 90,909 Played indoors (retractable roof closed) Ron Torbert CBS Jim Nantz, Phil Simms and Tracy Wolfson Recap, Gamebook First quarter CAR – Kurt Coleman 36-yard interception return (Graham Gano kick), 14:15. Panthers 7–0. CAR – Graham Gano 49-yard field goal, 8:14. Panthers 10–0. Drive: 9 plays, 47 yards, 4:18. DAL – Dan Bailey 21-yard field goal, 1:25. Panthers 10–3. Drive: 13 plays, 77 yards, 6:47. Second quarter CAR – Graham Gano 43-yard field goal, 3:32. Panthers 13–3. Drive: 10 plays, 48 yards, 5:48. CAR – Luke Kuechly 32-yard interception return (Graham Gano kick), 2:47. Panthers 20–3. CAR – Graham Gano 25-yard field goal, 0:03. Panthers 23–3. Drive: 9 plays, 22 yards, 2:23. Third quarter DAL – Dan Bailey 48-yard field goal, 7:53. Panthers 23–6. Drive: 6 plays, 22 yards, 3:35. CAR – Cam Newton 4-yard run (Graham Gano kick), 0:25. Panthers 30–6. Drive: 14 plays, 80 yards, 7:29. Fourth quarter CAR – Graham Gano 50-yard field goal, 10:27. Panthers 33–6. Drive: 6 plays, 26 yards, 3:50. DAL – Cole Beasley 2-yard pass from Matt Cassel (Matt Cassel-Darren McFadden pass), 4:27. Panthers 33–14. Drive: 16 plays, 80 yards, 6:00. Top passers CAR – Cam Newton – 16/27, 183 yards DAL – Tony Romo – 11/21, 106 yards, 3 INT Top rushers CAR – Jonathan Stewart – 21 rushes, 68 yards DAL – Robert Turbin – 2 rushes, 11 yards Top receivers CAR – Jerricho Cotchery – 5 receptions, 73 yards DAL – Darren McFadden – 4 receptions, 45 yards Top tacklers CAR – Luke Kuechly – 2 tackles, 5 assists, 2 INT, 1 defensive TD DAL – Rolando McClain – 7 tackles, 5 assists In their first Thanksgiving Day game, the Panthers debuted their all-Panther blue Nike "Color Rush" uniforms while the Cowboys debuted all white. The Panthers intercepted three passes from Dallas QB Tony Romo, the first one less than a minute into the game by DB Kurt Coleman, who returned it for a touchdown. Kuechly had his first pick-six of his career minutes later, and on the Cowboys' next offensive series, managed to intercept Romo yet again. Romo was later injured by a sack from Panthers LB Thomas Davis at the end of the third quarter and would leave the game, being replaced by Matt Cassel. He would end up missing the rest of the 2015 season. With the blowout win, the Panthers improved to 11–0. With the New England Patriots' overtime loss to the Denver Broncos on November 29 during Sunday Night Football, the Panthers became the last undefeated team in the NFL, and would remain so for the following month. Week 13: at New Orleans Saints Carolina Panthers 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Thirteen: Carolina Panthers at New Orleans Saints – Game summary December 6 4:25 pm. EST/3:25 pm. CST Panthers 0 13 14 14 Saints 14 2 8 14 Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana 73,097 Played indoors (dome stadium) Brad Allen Fox Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Erin Andrews Recap, Gamebook First quarter NO 8:16 Benjamin Watson 14-yard pass from Drew Brees (Kai Forbath kick) NO 7–0 NO 4:04 – Stephone Anthony 31-yard fumble return (Kai Forbath kick) NO 14–0 Second quarter CAR 14:55 – Mike Tolbert 12-yard pass from Cam Newton (Graham Gano kick) NO 14–7 CAR 1:55 – Jonathan Stewart 5-yard run NO 14–13 NO 1:55 – Stephone Anthony defensive PAT conversion NO 16–13 Third quarter CAR 10:21 – Ted Ginn Jr. 13-yard pass from Cam Newton (Graham Gano kick) CAR 20–16 CAR 4:56 – Devin Funchess 13-yard pass from Cam Newton (Graham Gano kick) CAR 27–16 NO 2:51 – Brandin Cooks 54-yard pass from Drew Brees (Mark Ingram II run for two–point conversion) CAR 27–24 Fourth quarter NO 14:02 – Brandon Coleman 24-yard pass from Drew Brees (Kai Forbath kick) NO 31–27 CAR 11:54 – Ted Ginn Jr. 45-yard pass from Cam Newton (Graham Gano kick) CAR 34–31 NO 5:21 – Mark Ingram II 9-yard run (Kai Forbath kick) NO 38–34 CAR 1:05 – Jerricho Cotchery 15-yard pass from Cam Newton (Graham Gano kick) CAR 41–38 Top passers CAR – Cam Newton 28/41, 331-yard, 5 TDs, 1 INT NO – Drew Brees 24/42, 282 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT Top rushers CAR – Jonathan Stewart 21 carries, 82 yards, 1 TD, 1 fumble NO – Mark Ingram II 12 carries, 56 yards, 1 TD Top receivers CAR – Greg Olsen 9 receptions, 129 yards, 1 fumble NO – Brandin Cooks 6 receptions, 104 yards, 1 TD Top tacklers CAR – Thomas Davis 7 tackles, 1 sack, 1 tackle for loss NO – James Anderson 11 tackles Due to the Falcons' loss to the Buccaneers earlier that same day, the Panthers entered this game having already clinched their third straight NFC South title—becoming the first team in the 2015 season to clinch a playoff berth, as well as the first team to clinch their division that season. Led by Drew Brees and a determined defense, New Orleans fought hard all game, their defense recovering three Panthers turnovers- including the first returned extra point attempt for points in NFL history. In the end, Carolina needed a 4th quarter game-winning touchdown drive from the offense (including a 4th down conversion), and a last-second defensive stand to seal it. With the thrilling win, the Panthers became the 9th team in NFL history to start the season 12–0. They also matched their franchise record for most victories in a season. This would be their last division title until 2025. Week 14: vs. Atlanta Falcons Carolina Panthers 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Fourteen: Atlanta Falcons at Carolina Panthers – Game summary December 13 1:00 pm. EST Falcons 0 0 0 0 Panthers 21 7 10 0 Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina 74,420 70 F C, sunny Tony Corrente Fox Kevin Burkhardt, John Lynch and Pam Oliver Recap, Gamebook First quarter CAR – Jonathan Stewart 1-yard run (Graham Gano kick), 11:28. Panthers 7–0. Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards, 3:32. CAR – Ted Ginn Jr. 74-yard pass from Cam Newton (Graham Gano kick), 6:48. Panthers 14–0. Drive: 3 plays, 93 yards, 1:18. CAR – Ted Ginn Jr. 46-yard pass from Cam Newton (Graham Gano kick), 0:12. Panthers 21–0. Drive: 7 plays, 80 yards, 3:23. Second quarter CAR – Ed Dickson 4-yard pass from Cam Newton (Graham Gano kick), 0:17. Panthers 28–0. Drive: 10 plays, 81 yards, 3:27. Third quarter CAR – Graham Gano 38-yard field goal, 5:46. Panthers 31–0. Drive: 9 plays, 23 yards, 4:45. CAR – Fozzy Whittaker 16-yard run (Graham Gano kick), 2:18. Panthers 38–0. Drive: 4 plays, 26 yards, 1:57. Fourth quarter No scoring plays. Top passers ATL – Matt Ryan – 22/34, 224 yards, INT CAR – Cam Newton – 15/21, 265 yards, 3 TD Top rushers ATL – Devonta Freeman – 12 rushes, 40 yards CAR – Jonathan Stewart – 10 rushes, 75 yards, TD Top receivers ATL – Julio Jones – 7 receptions, 88 yards CAR – Ted Ginn Jr. – 2 receptions, 120 yards, 2 TD Top tacklers ATL – CAR – The Panthers shut out Atlanta 38–0 to move to 13–0. Carolina's defense recorded five sacks and four turnovers- two fumbles and two interceptions- and held Atlanta to 54 total yards rushing. Perhaps the most impressive play of the game was Newton's touchdown pass to Ed Dickson, where Newton managed to fit the ball between multiple defenders' hands and into Dickson's grasp. The victory assured the Panthers of no worse than the second seed in the NFC—and with it, a first-round bye in the NFC playoffs. However, the Cardinals' win over the Vikings three days earlier prevented them from also clinching home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Carolina additionally broke the franchise record of most games won in a regular season (12 games) that had been set in 1996, 2008, and 2013, respectively. Week 15: at New York Giants Carolina Panthers 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Fifteen: Carolina Panthers at New York Giants – Game summary December 20 1:00 pm. EST Panthers 7 14 14 3 Giants 7 0 7 21 MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey 79,436 41 F C, sunny Terry McAulay Fox Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Erin Andrews Recap, Gamebook First quarter CAR – Ted Ginn Jr. 3-yard pass from Cam Newton (Graham Gano kick), 5:33. Panthers 7–0. Drive: 9 plays, 88 yards, 4:46. NYG – Rueben Randle 27-yard pass from Eli Manning (Josh Brown kick), 1:24. Tied 7–7. Drive: 10 plays, 80 yards, 4:09. Second quarter CAR – Greg Olsen 37-yard pass from Cam Newton (Graham Gano kick), 2:14. Panthers 14–7. Drive: 3 plays, 46 yards, 1:16. CAR – Devin Funchess 14-yard pass from Cam Newton (Graham Gano kick), 0:15. Panthers 21–7. Drive: 9 plays, 72 yards, 1:09. Third quarter CAR – Corey Brown 20-yard pass from Cam Newton (Graham Gano kick), 10:03. Panthers 28–7. Drive: 7 plays, 80 yards, 2:43. CAR – Ted Ginn Jr. 14-yard pass from Cam Newton (Graham Gano kick), 5:32. Panthers 35–7. Drive: 7 plays, 37 yards, 2:44. NYG – Will Tye 8-yard pass from Eli Manning (Josh Brown kick), 1:18. Panthers 35–14. Drive: 13 plays, 64 yards, 4:14. Fourth quarter NYG – Rashad Jennings 38-yard run (Josh Brown kick), 13:24. Panthers 35–21. Drive: 4 plays, 66 yards, 1:17. NYG – Shane Vereen 8-yard pass from Eli Manning (Josh Brown kick), 5:27. Panthers 35–28. Drive: 3 plays, 14 yards, 1:16. NYG – Odell Beckham Jr. 14-yard pass from Eli Manning (Josh Brown kick), 1:46. Tied 35–35. Drive: 7 plays, 66 yards, 2:34. CAR – Graham Gano 43-yard field goal, 0:00. Panthers 38–35. Drive: 8 plays, 49 yards, 1:46. Top passers CAR – Cam Newton – 25/45, 340 yards, 5 TD NYG – Eli Manning – 29/46, 245 yards, 4 TD, INT Top rushers CAR – Cam Newton – 8 carries, 100 yards NYG – Rashad Jennings – 16 carries, 107 yards, TD Top receivers CAR – Ted Ginn Jr. – 6 receptions, 85 yards, 2 TD NYG – Odell Beckham Jr. – 6 receptions, 76 yards, TD Top tacklers CAR – Luke Kuechly – 15 tackles, 5 assists NYG – Landon Collins – 10 tackles, 2 assists The Panthers looked to stay hot and undefeated as they traveled to MetLife Stadium to take on the Giants, led by two-time Super Bowl winning QB Eli Manning and star WR Odell Beckham Jr., who both had strong performances in a Monday Night shootout at Miami a week earlier. Much of the game was overshadowed by Beckham's and Josh Norman's melees throughout the game, which would lead to Beckham being suspended the following week and both players receiving fines. Carolina led 35–7 late in the third quarter, but the Manning-led Giants stormed back with four touchdowns (the last of which was a pass to Beckham) to tie the game with just under two minutes remaining. Carolina responded by putting together a quick drive that concluded with a game-winning field goal on the final play of regulation. With the last-second win, the Panthers moved to 14–0 and set a new record for the most wins to start a season by an NFC team. It also made them the fourth team, along with the 1972 Miami Dolphins, the 2007 New England Patriots, and the 2009 Indianapolis Colts to start a season 14–0 in NFL history. Week 16: at Atlanta Falcons Carolina Panthers 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Sixteen: Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons – Game summary December 27 1:00 pm. EST Panthers 7 0 3 3 Falcons 0 7 7 6 Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia 70,981 Played indoors (dome stadium) John Parry Fox Kevin Burkhardt, John Lynch and Pam Oliver Recap, Gamebook First quarter CAR – Cam Newton 8-yard run (Graham Gano kick), 9:18. Panthers 7–0. Drive: 11 plays, 80 yards, 5:42. Second quarter ATL – Devonta Freeman 4-yard run (Shayne Graham kick), 14:55. tied 7–7. Drive: 16 plays, 80 yards, 9:23. Third quarter CAR – Graham Gano 33 yard field goal, 5:26. Panthers 10–7. Drive: 8 plays, 52 yards, 2:56. ATL – Julio Jones 70-yard pass from Matt Ryan (Shayne Graham kick), 2:12. Falcons 14–10. Drive: 5 plays, 80 yards, 3:14. Fourth quarter CAR – Graham Gano 47 yard field goal, 7:59. Falcons 14–13. Drive: 4 plays, 7 yards, 1:28. ATL – Shayne Graham 37 yard field goal, 2:23. Falcons 17–13. Drive: 10 plays, 60 yards, 5:36. ATL – Shayne Graham 54 yard field goal, 1:30. Falcons 20–13. Drive: 4 plays, 1 yard, 0:18. Top passers CAR – Cam Newton 17/30, 142 yards ATL – Matt Ryan 23/30, 306 yards, TD Top rushers CAR – Cameron Artis-Payne 5 carries, 49 yards ATL – Devonta Freeman 22 carries, 73 yards, TD Top receivers CAR – Greg Olsen 4 receptions, 40 yards ATL – Julio Jones 9 receptions, 178 yards, TD The Panthers' undefeated season came to an end with a 13–20 loss in Atlanta, dropping their record to 14–1. Carolina started off well with a Newton rushing TD, but Atlanta proved to be too much at home, culminating in a long touchdown pass from Falcons QB Matt Ryan to WR Julio Jones. The Falcons defense swarmed the field all day, as the Panthers couldn't manage a touchdown for the rest of the game. As a result, Atlanta pulled off the upset. Despite the loss, their only one of the regular season, Carolina kept both its playoff spot and division title. It was also the Panthers' first regular season loss since November 30, 2014, when they were beaten 31–13 by the Minnesota Vikings. Week 17: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Carolina Panthers 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Seventeen: Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Carolina Panthers – Game summary January 3, 2016 4:25 pm. EST Buccaneers 3 0 7 0 Panthers 0 24 7 7 Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina 74,169 54 F C, partly cloudy Jerome Boger Fox Dick Stockton, David Diehl and Kristina Pink Recap, Gamebook First quarter TB – Connor Barth 39-yard field goal, 1:32. Buccaneers 3–0. Drive: 5 plays, 24 yards, 1:38. Second quarter CAR – Cam Newton 1-yard run, (Graham Gano kick), 12:42. Panthers 7–3. Drive: 9 plays, 62 yards, 3:53. CAR – Graham Gano 49-yard field goal, 9:34. Panthers 10–3. Drive: 6 plays, 46 yards, 2:14. CAR – Cameron Artis-Payne 11-yard run, (Graham Gano kick), 4:23. Panthers 17–3. Drive: 7 plays, 46 yards, 4:15. CAR – Jerricho Cotchery 31-yard pass from Cam Newton, (Graham Gano kick), 2:00. Panthers 24–3. Drive: 3 plays, 49 yards, 0:51. Third quarter CAR – Cam Newton 1-yard run, (Graham Gano kick), 9:21. Panthers 31–3. Drive: 2 plays, 3 yards, 0:43. TB – Jameis Winston 4-yard run, (Connor Barth kick), 4:53. Panthers 31–10. Drive: 9 plays, 82 yards, 4:33. Fourth quarter CAR – Devin Funchess 16-yard pass from Cam Newton, (Graham Gano kick), 7:29. Panthers 38–10. Drive: 10 plays, 62 yards, 6:04. Top passers TB – Jameis Winston – 29/49, 325 yards, 2 INT CAR – Cam Newton – 21/26, 293 yards, 2 TD Top rushers TB – Doug Martin – 15 rushes, 48 yards CAR – Mike Tolbert – 10 rushes, 59 yards Top receivers TB – Mike Evans – 4 rec, 99 yards CAR – Devin Funchess – 7 rec, 120 yards, TD Top tacklers TB – Bruce Carter – 12 tackles, sack CAR – Cortland Finnegan – 5 tackles The Panthers entered the day needing either a win against the Buccaneers, or an Arizona Cardinals loss to the Seahawks to secure the top seed in the NFC. Cam Newton tied former 49ers QB Steve Young for 43 career rushing touchdowns, the defense forced two interceptions from Bucs QB Jameis Winston and versatile special teams player Joe Webb (who also played backup QB and WR) recovered a fumbled punt return by Buccaneers RB Bobby Rainey. The Panthers capped off their best season in franchise history with a dominating win over Tampa Bay, finishing the regular season with a 15–1 record. It was both the most regular season wins ever recorded in franchise history and the best record in the NFL that year. With the win, the Panthers clinched home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs for the first time in franchise history, although the Cardinals' simultaneous loss to the Seahawks would've allowed Carolina to remain as the #1 seed either way. Postseason 2015–16 NFL playoffs NFC Divisional Playoffs: vs. (6) Seattle Seahawks Carolina Panthers 2;text-align:center; autocollapse NFC Divisional Playoffs: (6) Seattle Seahawks at (1) Carolina Panthers – Game summary January 17, 2016 1:05 p.m. EST Seahawks 0 0 14 10 Panthers 14 17 0 0 Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina 74,287 43 F C, partly cloudy Tony Corrente Fox Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews and Chris Myers Recap, Gamebook First quarter CAR 12:30 – Jonathan Stewart 4-yard rush (Graham Gano kick) Panthers 7–0 CAR 11:38 – Luke Kuechly 14-yard interception return (Graham Gano kick) Panthers 14–0 Second quarter CAR 14:18 – Jonathan Stewart 1 yard rush (Graham Gano kick) Panthers 21–0 CAR 12:37 – Graham Gano 48-yard field goal. Panthers 24–0 CAR 6:25 – Greg Olsen 19-yard pass from Cam Newton (Graham Gano kick) Panthers 31–0 Third quarter SEA 13:27 – Jermaine Kearse 13-yard pass from Russell Wilson (Steven Hauschka kick) Panthers 31–7 SEA 7:40 – Tyler Lockett 33-yard pass from Russell Wilson (Steven Hauschka kick) Panthers 31–14 Fourth quarter SEA 6:04 – Jermaine Kearse 3-yard pass from Russell Wilson (Steven Hauschka kick) Panthers 31–21 SEA 1:12 – Steven Hauschka 36-yard field goal. Panthers 31–24 Top passers SEA – CAR – Top rushers SEA – CAR – Top receivers SEA – CAR – Top tacklers SEA – CAR – This playoff game was a rematch of 2014's divisional round game and the second meeting between the Panthers and Seahawks during the 2015–16 season. Tickets were sold out in under five minutes2015-12-22 Divisional Playoff Tickets Sold Out http://www.panthers.com/news/article-2/Divisional-Playoff-Tickets-Sold-Out/7ee492fb-86f9-4e78-92e3-ec55700af633 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20160131135629/http://www.panthers.com/news/article-2/Divisional-Playoff-Tickets-Sold-Out/7ee492fb-86f9-4e78-92e3-ec55700af633 2016-01-31 2016-01-30 Panthers.com and all Panthers fans in attendance were given white towels to twirl, matching Carolina's all-white uniforms. Carolina raced to a 31–0 halftime lead due to strong play on both sides of the ball, including a Kuechly pick-six. A couple of the Panthers' biggest offensive plays of the half were a long run by Jonathan Stewart to start the game and TE Greg Olsen's touchdown catch that was made with a defenders' arm in between Olsen's. The huge lead was only temporary, however, as the Seahawks scored 24 unanswered points in the second half and were a touchdown away from tying the game. The victory wasn't sealed for sure until Thomas Davis recovered an onside kick with 1:12 to play in regulation.Belson Ken Panthers Build a Big First-Half Lead, Then Outlast the Seahawks The New York Times 2016-01-17 https://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/18/sports/football/carolina-panthers-defeat-seattle-seahawks-nfc-nfl-playoffs.html 2025-01-19 The Panthers advanced to their fourth NFC Championship game in franchise history, their first NFC Championship appearance since 2005 and the first to be played at Bank of America Stadium. As of 2025, this remains the Panthers last Divisional Round win. This is also their most recent appearance in the Divisional Round.Carolina Panthers Playoff History https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/car/playoffs.htm 2025-01-19 Pro-Football-Reference.com en NFC Championship: vs. (2) Arizona Cardinals Carolina Panthers 2;text-align:center; autocollapse NFC Championship: (2) Arizona Cardinals at (1) Carolina Panthers – Game summary January 24, 2016 6:40 pm. EST Cardinals 0 7 0 8 Panthers 17 7 10 15 Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina 74,294 39 F C, clear Bill Vinovich Fox Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews and Chris Myers Recap, Gamebook First quarter CAR – 3:56 Graham Gano 45-yard field goal Panthers 3–0 CAR – 4:31 Ted Ginn Jr. 22-yard rush (Graham Gano kick) Panthers 10–0 CAR – 0:49 Corey Brown 89-yard pass from Cam Newton (Graham Gano kick) Panthers 17–0 Second quarter ARI – 5:44 David Johnson 1 yard rush (Chandler Catanzaro kick) Panthers 17–7 CAR – 1:56 Cam Newton 1 yard rush (Graham Gano kick) Panthers 24–7 Third quarter CAR – 7:50 Graham Gano 21-yard field goal Panthers 27–7 CAR – 2:08 Cam Newton 12-yard rush (Graham Gano kick) Panthers 34–7 Fourth quarter ARI – 14:16 Darren Fells 21-yard pass from Carson Palmer (Two point conversion successful) Panthers 34–15 CAR – Devin Funchess 5-yard pass from Cam Newton (Two point conversion successful) Panthers 42–15 CAR – Luke Kuechly 22-yard interception return (Graham Gano kick) Panthers 49–15 Top passers ARI – Carson Palmer – 23/40, 235 yards, 1 TD, 4 INT CAR – Cam Newton – 19/28, 335 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT Top rushers ARI – David Johnson – 15 rushes, 60 yards CAR – Jonathan Stewart – 19 rushes, 83 yards Top receivers ARI – David Johnson – 9 rec, 68 yards CAR – Corey Brown – 4 rec, 113 yards, 1 TD Top tacklers ARI – Tony Jefferson – 11 tackles, 5 solo CAR – Luke Kuechly – 8 tackles, 3 solo, 1 INT, 1 TD Bank of America Stadium was open earlier than usual due to the recent winter weather around the region, allowing some fans to see the ending of the AFC Championship game, since it was broadcast on the stadium's video boards. Less than four hours later, with another sold-out crowd mostly wearing a mix of black and blue, the Carolina Panthers routed the Arizona Cardinals by a score of 49–15 en route to Super Bowl 50. The Panthers forced seven turnovers from the Cardinals, six from QB Carson Palmer and one from cornerback Patrick Peterson on a punt return, despite losing Thomas Davis to an arm injury early. Offensively, Cam Newton threw two touchdown passes and ran for another pair. Linebacker Luke Kuechly had both his third pick-six of the year and pick-sixes in consecutive playoff games, while safety Kurt Coleman had two red zone interceptions. Coleman's first pick came the play after Peterson picked off a Newton pass. The Panthers also out gained the Cardinals in total yardage 476–287. In the aftermath of Kuechly's pick-six, with the victory fully secured, the stadium itself began shaking due to the crowd noise and energy. This was noticed on air by Fox Sports' Joe Buck, who, after the cameras showed almost thirty seconds of exuberant Panthers fans dancing in the stands, stated: "This booth is literally bouncing." With the blowout win, the Panthers would improve to 17–1 overall and would head onto the Super Bowl, their first appearance in twelve years and their second in franchise history. They would become the first 15–1 team to do so since the 1985 Bears.Tomik Jeffrey If the Panthers win, they should be considered one of the best teams ever Washington Post 2016-02-05 https://www.washingtonpost.com/express/wp/2016/02/04/if-the-panthers-win-they-should-be-considered-one-of-the-best-teams-ever/ 2025-01-19 The win also made Rivera the fifth minority and the second Latino head coach to lead a team to the Super Bowl, the first being Tom Flores who'd lead the Raiders to Super Bowl XVIII. Coincidentally, Rivera was a linebacker for the Chicago Bears when they won Super Bowl XX.Newton David Memories of '85 Bears help Ron Rivera keep Panthers shuffling toward unbeaten season ESPN.com 2015-11-12 https://www.espn.com/blog/carolina-panthers/post/_/id/17011/the-85-bears-help-ron-rivera-keep-the-undefeated-panthers-focused 2025-01-19 As of 2025, this remains the Panthers last playoff win. In addition, this also marks the Panthers most recent appearance in the NFC Championship game. Super Bowl 50: vs. (A1) Denver Broncos Super Bowl 50 Carolina Panthers 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Super Bowl 50: (N1) Carolina Panthers vs. (A1) Denver Broncos – Game summary February 7, 2016 6:30 pm. EST/3:30 p.m. PST Panthers 0 7 0 3 Broncos 10 3 3 8 Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California 71,088 76 F C, sunny Clete Blakeman CBS Jim Nantz, Phil Simms, Evan Washburn and Tracy Wolfson Recap, Gamebook First quarter Second quarter Third quarter Fourth quarter Top passers CAR – DEN – Top rushers CAR – DEN – Top receivers CAR – DEN – Top tacklers CAR – DEN – Despite out gaining the Broncos 315–194 and having 21 first downs compared to Denver's 11, Carolina lost to Denver in Super Bowl 50.Light Casey Broncos defense takes hold of Super Bowl 50 and won't let go Mile High Sports 2016-02-08 https://milehighsports.com/broncos-defense-takes-hold-of-super-bowl-50-and-wont-let-go/ 2025-01-19 Carolina's defense played well, allowing only one offensive touchdown, which was aided by a Panthers' turnover in the red zone. Carolina ultimately committed 4 costly turnovers though, including two strip sacks from QB Cam Newton, one of which immediately resulted in a touchdown for the Denver Broncos. Newton finished the game completing 18 of 41 passes for 265 yards with one interception, rushed six times for 45 yards and was sacked a career-high nine times. The Carolina Panthers finished with a 17–2 overall record. Standings Division CAR Conference CAR References 30em External links http://www.panthers.com Season summary at Pro Football Reference Carolina Category:Carolina Panthers seasons Carolina Panthers Category:NFC South championship seasons Category:National Football Conference championship seasons