NFL team season
The 2012 season was the Carolina Panthers ' 18th in the National Football League (NFL) and their second under head coach Ron Rivera . A day after the Panthers' loss to the Dallas Cowboys , general manager Marty Hurney was fired.[1] Dave Gettleman ), director of football operations Brandon Beane served as interim general manager.[2] Facebook to make the call, but the vote ended in a 50/50 tie.[3]
Logo change
On January 30, 2012, the Panthers unveiled an updated version of the team's logo, the team's first logo change since the Panthers entered the NFL in 1995 .[4]
2012 draft class
The Panthers did not have a 3rd round selection.[a]
The Carolina Panthers on offense against the Denver Broncos in week 10 of the season NOTES
^[a] Chicago Bears in exchange for TE Greg Olsen .^[b] Miami Dolphins . This selection is the 9th, based on a coin toss at the NFL Scouting Combine won by Miami in March.^[c] ^[d] San Francisco 49ers in exchange for their fourth-round selection (#103).^{e
Season Summary
Looking to improve off of a 6–10 season from rookie coach Ron Rivera and quarterback Cam Newton , the Panthers got off to a tough start. The Panthers began the season with a dismal 2–8 record through their first 10 games. The Panthers played competitively throughout most games the entire season with an exception of a 36–7 loss to the defending Super Bowl Champion New York Giants where the Panthers fell to a 20–0 deficit early in the game and could not recover. Many would turn to a victory on November 26 in a prime time match up against the struggling Philadelphia Eagles as the turning point in the season for the Panthers. With that win on Monday Night Football , the Panthers would go on to win 5 of their remaining 6 games, rattling off 4 victories in a row to finish the season, with one victory coming against the NFC's #1 seed Atlanta Falcons , the first win in the series for the Panthers since the 2009 season.
Schedule
Preseason
Regular season
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries
Week 1: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week One: Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Game summary
Period
1
2
3 4 Total
Panthers
0
0
7 3 10
Buccaneers 10
3
0 3 16
at Raymond James Stadium , Tampa, Florida
Date : September 9Game time : 4:25 p.m. EDT Game weather : 83 °F (28 °C), cloudyGame attendance : 51,533Referee : Jerry HughesTV announcers (Fox ) : Ron Pitts , Mike Martz and Kristina Pink
Game information
First quarter
TB – Mike Williams 6-yard pass from Josh Freeman (Connor Barth kick), 5:20. Buccaneers 7–0. Drive: 13 plays, 80 yards, 7:20.
TB – Connor Barth 36-yard field goal, 1:20. Buccaneers 10–0. Drive: 5 plays, 32 yards, 2:27. Second quarter
TB – Connor Barth 20-yard field goal, 2:55. Buccaneers 13–0. Drive: 13 plays, 90 yards, 8:43. Third quarter
Fourth quarter
TB – Connor Barth 40-yard field goal, 7:58. Buccaneers 16–7. Drive: 7 plays, 20 yards, 3:12.
CAR – Justin Medlock 21-yard field goal, 2:46. Buccaneers 16–10. Drive: 8 plays, 86 yards, 2:20.
Top passers
CAR – Cam Newton – 23/33, 303 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT
TB – Josh Freeman – 16/24, 138 yards, 1 TD Top rushers
Top receivers
The Panthers started the season at 0–1 picking up their 4th straight regular season opening loss. Also, the team dropped to 0–11 in games where starting QB Cam Newton turns the ball over as he was picked off twice.
Week 2: vs. New Orleans Saints
Week Two: New Orleans Saints at Carolina Panthers – Game summary
Period
1
2
3 4 Total
Saints
10
3
0 14 27
Panthers 7
14
7 7 35
at Bank of America Stadium , Charlotte, North Carolina
Date : September 16Game time : 1:00 p.m. EDTGame weather : 73 °F (23 °C), (Cloudy)Game attendance : 72,879Referee : Gerald WrightTV announcers (Fox) : Ron Pitts, Mike Martz and Kristina Pink
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
NO – Garrett Hartley 53-yard field goal, 7:08. Saints 13–7. Drive: 11 plays, 57 yards, 4:36.
CAR – Jonathan Stewart 17-yard pass from Cam Newton (Justin Medlock kick), 3:33. Panthers 14–13. Drive: 8 plays, 74 yards, 3:35.
CAR – Mike Tolbert 2-yard run (Justin Medlock kick), 0:11. Panthers 21–13. Drive: 8 plays, 58 yards, 2:20. Third quarter
CAR – DeAngelo Williams 3-yard run (Justin Medlock kick), 8:17. Panthers 28–13. Drive: 6 plays, 80 yards, 3:04. Fourth quarter
NO – Mark Ingram 1-yard run (Garrett Hartley kick), 12:53. Panthers 28–20. Drive: 9 plays, 68 yards, 3:35.
CAR – Cam Newton 5-yard run (Justin Hedlock kick), 9:55. Panthers 35–20. Drive: 6 plays, 80 yards, 2:58.
NO – Drew Brees 1-yard run (Garrett Hartley kick), 1:55. Panthers 35–27. Drive: 12 plays, 81 yards, 2:54.
Top passers
NO – Drew Brees – 31/49, 325 yards, TD, 2 INT
CAR – Cam Newton – 14/20, 253 yards, TD Top rushers
NO – Pierre Thomas – 9 rushes, 110 yards
CAR – DeAngelo Williams – 14 carries, 69 yards, TD Top receivers
With the win, the Panthers improved to 1–1, snapping their 4-game losing streak against the Saints. Also, the team improved to 1–11 in games where Newton has at least 1 turnover.
Week 3: vs. New York Giants
Week Three: New York Giants at Carolina Panthers – Game summary
Period
1
2
3 4 Total
Giants 10
10
6 10 36
Panthers
0
0
7 0 7
at Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina
Game information
First quarter
NYG – Martellus Bennett 14-yard pass from Eli Manning (Lawrence Tynes kick), 11:38. Giants 7–0. Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards, 3:22.
NYG – Lawrence Tynes 47-yard field goal, 3:46. Giants 10–0. Drive: 9 plays, 51 yards, 4:44. Second quarter
NYG – Andre Brown 1-yard run (Lawrence Tynes kick), 12:03. Giants 17–0. Drive: 9 plays, 72 yards, 4:39.
NYG – Lawrence Tynes 49-yard field goal, 3:13. Giants 20–0. Drive: 11 plays, 57 yards, 5:59. Third quarter
NYG – Lawrence Tynes 30-yard field goal, 12:49. Giants 23–0. Drive: 4 plays, 7 yards, 2:03.
CAR – Cam Newton 1-yard run (Justin Medlock kick), 6:25. Giants 23–7. Drive: 13 plays, 80 yards, 6:24.
NYG – Lawrence Tynes 36-yard field goal, 0:50. Giants 26–7. Drive: 10 plays, 63 yards, 5:53. Fourth quarter
NYG – Andre Brown 1-yard run (Lawrence Tynes kick), 9:40. Giants 33–7. Drive: 8 plays, 48 yards, 3:51.
NYG – Lawrence Tynes 27-yard field goal, 1:09. Giants 36–7. Drive: 7 plays, 10 yards, 3:17.
Top passers
NYG – Eli Manning – 27/35, 288 yards, TD
CAR – Cam Newton – 16/30, 242 yards, 3 INT Top rushers
NYG – Andre Brown – 20 rushes, 113 yards, 2 TD
CAR – DeAngelo Williams – 11 rushes, 50 yards Top receivers
With the huge loss on Thursday Night Football, the Panthers fell to 1–2. The team also dropped to 1–12 in games where Cam Newton has at least 1 turnover.
Week 4: at Atlanta Falcons
Week Four: Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons – Game summary
Period
1
2
3 4 Total
Panthers
7
7
7 7 28
Falcons 7
10
7 6 30
at Georgia Dome , Atlanta, Georgia
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
ATL – Matt Bryant 41-yard field goal, 13:11. Falcons 10–7. Drive: 6 plays, 7 yards, 2:05.
CAR – DeAngelo Williams 13-yard run (Justin Medlock kick), 8:44. Panthers 14–10. Drive: 7 plays, 79 yards, 4:27.
ATL – Roddy White 14-yard pass from Matt Ryan (Matt Bryant kick), 1:49. Falcons 17–14. Drive: 8 plays, 51 yards, 3:40. Third quarter
ATL – Michael Turner 60-yard pass from Matt Ryan, (Matt Bryant kick), 10:17. Falcons 24–14. Drive: 3 plays, 72 yards, 1:37.
CAR – Cam Newton 4-yard run (Justin Medlock kick), 3:16. Falcons 24–21. Drive: 12 plays, 77 yards, 7:01. Fourth quarter
CAR –Kealoha Pilares 36-yard pass from Cam Newton (Justin Medlock kick), 7:55. Panthers 28–24. Drive: 6 plays, 88 yards, 3:23.
ATL – Matt Bryant 33-yard field goal, 4:57. Panthers 28–27. Drive: 9 plays, 65 yards, 2:58.
ATL – Matt Bryant 40-yard field goal, 0:05. Falcons 30–28. Drive: 5 plays, 77 yards, 0:54.
Top passers
CAR – Cam Newton – 15/24, 212 yards, 2 TD
ATL – Matt Ryan – 25/40, 369 yards, 3 TD, INT Top rushers
CAR – Cam Newton – 9 rushes, 86 yards, TD
ATL – Michael Turner – 13 rushes, 103 yards Top receivers
CAR – Greg Olsen – 6 receptions, 89 yards, TD
ATL – Roddy White – 8 receptions, 169 yards, 2 TD
With their 5th straight loss to the Falcons, the Panthers fell to 1–3. Also, for the first time the team lost a game after Newton did not record a turnover.
Week 5: vs. Seattle Seahawks
Week Five: Seattle Seahawks at Carolina Panthers – Game summary
Period
1
2
3 4 Total
Seahawks 3
3
7 3 16
Panthers
0
3
7 2 12
at Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina
Date : October 7Game time : 4:05 p.m. EDTGame weather : 55 °F (13 °C), (Cloudy)Game attendance : 72,676Referee : Terry McAulay TV announcers (Fox) : Chris Myers , Tim Ryan and Kristina Pink
Game information
First quarter
SEA – Stephen Hauschka 22-yard field goal, 10:29. Seahawks 3–0. Drive: 8 plays, 41 yards, 3:33. Second quarter
SEA – Stephen Hauschka 36-yard field goal, 8:29. Seahawks 6–0. Drive: 12 plays, 50 yards, 6:58.
CAR – Justin Medlock 32-yard field goal, 0:02. Seahawks 6–3. Drive: 12 plays, 77 yards, 2:44. Third quarter
CAR – Captain Munnerlyn 33-yard interception return (Justin Medlock kick), 12:26. Panthers 10–6.
SEA – Golden Tate 13-yard pass from Russell Wilson (Stephen Hauschka kick), 0:35. Seahawks 13–10. Drive: 5 plays, 27 yards, 2:02. Fourth quarter
SEA – Stephen Hauschka 44-yard field goal, 10:27. Seahawks 16–10. Drive: 7 plays, 39 yards, 3:33.
CAR – Jon Ryan ran out of end zone for a safety, 0:59. Seahawks 16–12.
Top passers
SEA – Russell Wilson – 19/25, 221 yards, TD, 2 INT
CAR – Cam Newton – 12/29, 141 yards Top rushers
SEA – Marshawn Lynch – 21 rushes, 85 yards
CAR – Cam Newton – 7 rushes, 42 yards Top receivers
With the loss, the Panthers head into their bye week at 1–4. Also, the team dropped to 1–13 in games where Newton has a least a turnover.
Week 7: vs. Dallas Cowboys
Week Seven: Dallas Cowboys at Carolina Panthers – Game summary
Period
1
2
3 4 Total
Cowboys 0
3
10 6 19
Panthers
0
7
0 7 14
at Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
DAL – Miles Austin 26-yard pass from Tony Romo (Dan Bailey kick), 7:38. Cowboys 10–7. Drive: 4 plays, 63 yards, 1:54.
DAL – Dan Bailey 49-yard field goal, 2:13. Cowboys 13–7. Drive: 6 plays, 9 yards, 3:27. Fourth quarter
CAR – Mike Tolbert 2-yard run (Justin Medlock kick), 11:38. Panthers 14–13. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 2:20.
DAL – Dan Bailey 28-yard field goal, 3:25. Cowboys 16–14. Drive: 10 plays, 44 yards, 4:07.
DAL – Dan Bailey 38-yard field goal, 0:53. Cowboys 19–14. Drive: 6 plays, 19 yards, 1:15.
Top passers
DAL – Tony Romo – 24/34, 227 yards, TD
CAR – Cam Newton – 21/37, 233 yards, TD, INT Top rushers
Top receivers
DAL – Miles Austin – 5 receptions, 97 yards, TD
CAR – Steve Smith Sr. – 7 receptions, 83 yards
With the loss, the Panthers fell to 1–5 and also to 1–14 in games when Newton records a turnover.
Week 8: at Chicago Bears
Week Eight: Carolina Panthers at Chicago Bears – Game summary
Period
1
2
3 4 Total
Panthers
3
10
6 3 22
Bears 7
0
0 16 23
at Soldier Field , Chicago, Illinois
Date : October 28Game time : 1:00 p.m. EDT/12:00 p.m. CDT Game weather : 49 °F (9 °C), cloudy – wind gusts to 25mphGame attendance : 62,254Referee : Ed Hochuli TV announcers (Fox) : Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston and Tony Siragusa
Game information
First quarter
CHI – Matt Forte 13-yard run (Robbie Gould kick), 4:32. Bears 7–0. Drive: 4 plays, 49 yards, 1:52.
CAR – Justin Medlock 34-yard field goal, 2:01. Bears 7–3. Drive: 5 plays, 64 yards, 2:31. Second quarter
CAR – Louis Murphy fumble recovery in end zone (Justin Medlock kick), 14:45. Panthers 10–7. Drive: 3 plays, 16 yards, 0:48.
CAR – Justin Medlock 31-yard field goal, 4:36. Panthers 13–7. Drive: 17 plays, 58 yards, 8:19. Third quarter
CAR – Justin Medlock 22-yard field goal, 6:47. Panthers 16–7. Drive: 12 plays, 90 yards, 6:32.
CAR – Justin Medlock 43-yard field goal, 1:30. Panthers 19–7. Drive: 8 plays, 63 yards, 4:02. Fourth quarter
CHI – Kellen Davis 12-yard pass from Jay Cutler (Robbie Gould kick), 6:52. Panthers 19–14. Drive: 7 plays, 38 yards, 3:26.
CHI – Tim Jennings 25-yard interception return (run failed), 6:44. Bears 20–19.
CAR – Justin Medlock 45-yard field goal, 2:27. Panthers 22–20. Drive: 11 plays, 53 yards, 4:17.
CHI – Robbie Gould 41-yard field goal, 0:00. Bears 23–22. Drive: 9 plays, 55 yards, 2:27.
Top passers
CAR – Cam Newton – 20/39, 314 yards, 2 INT
CHI – Jay Cutler – 19/28, 186 yards, TD, INT Top rushers
CAR – Cam Newton – 5 rushes, 37 yards
CHI – Matt Forte – 15 rushes, 70 yards Top receivers
With the surprising loss, the Panthers dropped to 1–6. Also, the team moves to 1–15 in games where Newton has a turnover.
Week 9: at Washington Redskins
Week Nine: Carolina Panthers at Washington Redskins – Game summary
Period
1
2
3 4 Total
Panthers 7
7
0 7 21
Redskins
3
0
3 7 13
at FedExField , Landover, Maryland
Date : November 4Game time : 1:00 p.m. ESTGame weather : 50 °F (10 °C), sunnyGame attendance : 79,767Referee : Carl Cheffers TV announcers (Fox) : Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston and Tony Siragusa
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
WAS – Kai Forbath 25-yard field goal, 6:02. Panthers 14–6. Drive: 10 plays, 69 yards, 5:00. Fourth quarter
CAR – Cam Newton 1-yard run (Justin Medlock kick), 12:46. Panthers 21–6. Drive: 3 plays, 91 yards, 1:31.
WAS – Evan Royster 2-yard run (Kai Forbath kick), 1:28. Panthers 21–13. Drive: 13 plays, 60 yards, 2:54.
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
With the win, the Panthers improved to 2–6. The team also improves to 7–1 in games where Newton does not turn the ball over. Because this was the Redskins' last home game before the 2012 election , the Redskins Rule incorrectly predicted that Mitt Romney would win the election, or Barack Obama would win the election while losing the popular vote.
Week 10: vs. Denver Broncos
Week Ten: Denver Broncos at Carolina Panthers – Game summary
Period
1
2
3 4 Total
Broncos 7
10
7 12 36
Panthers
7
0
0 7 14
at Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
DEN – Trindon Holliday 76-yard punt return (Matt Prater kick), 14:40. Broncos 14–7.
DEN – Matt Prater 53-yard field goal, 10:12. Broncos 17–7. Drive: 6 plays, 20 yards, 3:26. Third quarter
DEN – Tony Carter 40-yard interception return (Matt Prater kick), 9:59. Broncos 24–7. Fourth quarter
DEN – Matt Prater 27-yard field goal, 14:17. Broncos 27–7. Drive: 9 plays, 62 yards, 3:25.
DEN – Cam Newton sacked in endzone by Mike Adams for a safety, 10:32. Broncos 29–7.
CAR – Greg Olsen 5-yard pass from Cam Newton, 5:09. Broncos 29–14. Drive: 10 plays, 77 yards, 4:22.
DEN – Ronnie Hillman 5-yard run (Matt Prater kick), 3:23. Broncos 36–14. Drive: 4 plays, 54 yards, 1:46.
Top passers
DEN – Peyton Manning – 27/38, 301 yards, TD
CAR – Cam Newton – 21/36, 241 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT Top rushers
Top receivers
DEN – Demaryius Thomas – 9 receptions, 135 yards
CAR – Greg Olsen – 9 receptions, 102 yards, 2 TD
With the loss, the Panthers fell to 2–7. The team also drops to 1–16 in games where Newton has a turnover.
Week 11: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week Eleven: Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Carolina Panthers – Game summary
Period
1
2
3 4 OT Total
Buccaneers 10
0
0 11 6 27
Panthers
7
7
0 7 0 21
at Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina
Date : November 18Game time : 1:00 p.m. ESTGame weather : 55 °F (13 °C), (Cloudy)Game attendance : 72,603Referee : Bill Leavy TV announcers (Fox) : Chris Myers, Tim Ryan and Jaime Maggio
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
CAR – Jonathan Stewart 1-yard run (Justin Medlock kick), 8:53. Panthers 14–10. Drive: 8 plays, 77 yards, 4:09. Third quarter
Fourth quarter
CAR – Brandon LaFell 29-yard pass from Cam Newton (Justin Medlock kick), 6:00. Panthers 21–10. Drive: 7 plays, 80 yards, 4:34.
TB – Connor Barth 40-yard field goal, 4:03. Panthers 21–13. Drive: 10 plays, 58 yards, 1:57.
TB – Vincent Jackson 24-yard pass from Josh Freeman (Josh Freeman-Vincent Jackson pass), 0:12. Tied 21–21. Drive: 7 plays, 80 yards, 0:50. Overtime
TB – Dallas Clark 15-yard pass from Josh Freeman, 10:40. Buccaneers 27–21. Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards, 4:20.
Top passers
TB – Josh Freeman – 25/46, 248 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT
CAR – Cam Newton – 16/29, 252 yards, TD Top rushers
TB – Doug Martin – 24 rushes, 138 yards
CAR – Jonathan Stewart – 15 rushes, 43 yards, TD Top receivers
TB – Vincent Jackson – 6 receptions, 94 yards, TD
CAR – Brandon LaFell – 5 receptions, 93 yards, TD
With the loss, the Panthers fell to 2–8. Also, QB Cam Newton suffered being swept by all 3 division rival teams as the team dropped to 7–2 in games where he does not have a turnover.
Week 12: at Philadelphia Eagles
Week Twelve: Carolina Panthers at Philadelphia Eagles – Game summary
Period
1
2
3 4 Total
Panthers 14
0
7 9 30
Eagles
3
12
7 0 22
at Lincoln Financial Field , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Date : November 26Game time : 8:30 p.m. ESTGame weather : 36 °F (2 °C), clearGame attendance : 69,144Referee : Pete Morelli TV announcers (ESPN) : Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden and Lisa Salters
Game information
First quarter
PHI – Alex Henery 36-yard field goal, 11:12. Eagles 3–0. Drive: 9 plays, 62 yards, 3:48.
CAR – Gary Barnidge 24-yard pass from Cam Newton (Graham Gano kick), 6:12. Panthers 7–3. Drive: 8 plays, 72 yards, 5:00.
CAR – Brandon LaFell 43-yard pass from Cam Newton (Graham Gano kick), 3:36. Panthers 14–3. Drive: 3 plays, 55 yards, 0:43. Second quarter
PHI – Alex Henery 41-yard field goal, 14:15. Panthers 14–6. Drive: 9 plays, 57 yards, 4:21.
PHI – Bryce Brown 65-yard run (pass failed), 10:56. Panthers 14–12. Drive: 2 plays, 68 yards, 0:42.
PHI – Alex Henery 45-yard field goal, 3:20. Eagles 15–14. Drive: 9 plays, 35 yards, 5:03. Third quarter
CAR – Cam Newton 1-yard run (Graham Gano kick), 9:13. Panthers 21–15. Drive: 11 plays, 95 yards, 5:47.
PHI – Bryce Brown 5-yard run (Alex Henery kick), 3:30. Eagles 22–21. Drive: 3 plays, 69 yards, 1:07. Fourth quarter
CAR – Graham Gano 23-yard field goal, 12:40. Panthers 24–22. Drive: 7 plays, 40 yards, 3:36.
CAR – Cam Newton 2-yard run (kick failed), 4:40. Panthers 30–22. Drive: 6 plays, 60 yards, 3:55.
Top passers
CAR – Cam Newton – 18/28, 306 yards, 2 TD
PHI – Nick Foles – 16/21, 119 yards Top rushers
CAR – Cam Newton – 14 rushes, 52 yards, 2 TD
PHI – Bryce Brown – 19 rushes, 178 yards, 2 TD Top receivers
CAR – Brandon LaFell – 3 receptions, 74 yards, TD
PHI – Jeremy Maclin – 5 receptions, 55 yards
With the win the Panthers improved to 3–8 and also 8–2 in games where Newton does not have a turnover.
Week 13: at Kansas City Chiefs
Week Thirteen: Carolina Panthers at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
Period
1
2
3 4 Total
Panthers
7
7
0 7 21
Chiefs 10
7
7 3 27
at Arrowhead Stadium , Kansas City, Missouri
Date : December 2Game time : 1:00 p.m. EST/12:00 p.m. CSTGame weather : 61 °F (16 °C), sunnyGame attendance : 62,860Referee : John Parry TV announcers (Fox) : Ron Pitts, Mike Martz and Kristina Pink
Game information
First quarter
KC – Peyton Hillis 2-yard run (Ryan Succop kick), 11:49. Chiefs 7–0. Drive: 6 plays, 74 yards, 3:11.
CAR – Greg Olsen 47-yard pass from Cam Newton (Graham Gano kick), 8:46. Tied 7–7. Drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 3:03.
KC – Ryan Succop 42-yard field goal, 3:20. Chiefs 10–7. Drive: 11 plays, 56 yards, 5:26. Second quarter
CAR – Steve Smith Sr. 23-yard pass from Cam Newton (Graham Gano kick), 13:27. Panthers 14–10. Drive: 11 plays, 80 yards, 4:31.
KC – Tony Moeaki 1-yard pass from Brady Quinn (Ryan Succop kick), 0:00. Chiefs 17–14. Drive: 13 plays, 80 yards, 7:25. Third quarter
KC – Jonathan Baldwin 3-yard pass from Brady Quinn (Ryan Succop kick), 2:52. Chiefs 24–14. Drive: 17 plays, 87 yards, 9:56. Fourth quarter
CAR – Louis Murphy 8-yard pass from Cam Newton (Graham Gano kick), 13:21. Chiefs 24–21. Drive: 11 plays, 80 yards, 4:31.
KC – Ryan Succop 52-yard field goal, 4:54. Chiefs 27–21. Drive: 6 plays, 39 yards, 2:36.
Top passers
CAR – Cam Newton – 15/27, 232 yards, 3 TD
KC – Brady Quinn – 19/23, 201 yards, 2 TD Top rushers
CAR – Cam Newton – 7 rushes, 78 yards
KC – Jamaal Charles – 27 rushes, 127 yards Top receivers
CAR – Steve Smith Sr. – 5 receptions, 120 yards, TD
KC – Dwayne Bowe – 4 receptions, 64 yards
With the loss, the Panthers dropped to 3–9 securing them their 3rd straight losing season. They also dropped in records to 0–2 against the AFC West and 8–3 when Newton does not turn the ball over.
Week 14: vs. Atlanta Falcons
Week Fourteen: Atlanta Falcons at Carolina Panthers – Game summary
Period
1
2
3 4 Total
Falcons
0
0
7 13 20
Panthers 7
9
7 7 30
at Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina
Date : December 9Game time : 1:00 p.m. ESTGame weather : 63 °F (17 °C), (Cloudy)Game attendance : 73,292Referee : Ed Hochuli TV announcers (Fox) : Gus Johnson , Charles Davis and Kristina Pink
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
CAR – Graham Gano 24-yard field goal, 10:55. Panthers 10–0. Drive: 17 plays, 72 yards, 9:17.
CAR – Graham Gano 41-yard field goal, 4:58. Panthers 13–0. Drive: 7 plays, 52 yards, 3:45.
CAR – Graham Gano 31-yard field goal, 0:00. Panthers 16–0. Drive: 13 plays, 59 yards, 3:35. Third quarter
CAR – Cam Newton 72-yard run (Graham Gano kick), 11:01. Panthers 23–0. Drive: 4 plays, 86 yards, 2:08.
ATL – Roddy White 4-yard pass from Matt Ryan (Matt Bryant kick), 4:48. Panthers 23–7. Drive: 13 plays, 84 yards, 6:13. Fourth quarter
ATL – Julio Jones 11-yard pass from Matt Ryan (pass failed), 13:57. Panthers 23–13. Drive: 11 plays, 80 yards, 3:41.
CAR – DeAngelo Williams 53-yard pass from Cam Newton (Graham Gano kick), 4:11. Panthers 30–13. Drive: 4 plays, 60 yards, 2:08.
ATL – Michael Turner 1-yard run (Matt Bryant kick), 0:53. Panthers 30–20. Drive: 13 plays, 80 yards, 3:18.
Top passers
ATL – Matt Ryan – 34/49, 342 yards, 2 TD, INT
CAR – Cam Newton – 23/35, 287 yards, 2 TD Top rushers
ATL – Jacquizz Rodgers – 6 rushes, 43 yards
CAR – Cam Newton – 9 rushes, 116 yards, TD Top receivers
ATL – Roddy White – 9 receptions, 117 yards, TD
CAR – Steve Smith Sr. – 7 receptions, 109 yards
With the upset win, the Panthers improved to 4–9 and snapped their 5-game losing streak to the Falcons. Also, the team improved to 9–3 in games where Newton does not have a turnover.
Week 15: at San Diego Chargers
Week Fifteen: Carolina Panthers at San Diego Chargers – Game summary
Period
1
2
3 4 Total
Panthers 21
3
7 0 31
Chargers
0
0
0 7 7
at Qualcomm Stadium , San Diego, California
Date : December 16Game time : 4:05 p.m. EST/1:05 p.m. PST Game weather : 59 °F (15 °C), cloudyGame attendance : 53,832Referee : Terry McAulayTV announcers (Fox) : Sam Rosen , Heath Evans and Jill Savage
Game information
First quarter
CAR – Mike Tolbert 1-yard run (Graham Gano kick), 8:29. Panthers 7–0. Drive: 13 plays, 80 yards, 6:31.
CAR – Mike Tolbert 1-yard run (Graham Gano kick), 4:54. Panthers 14–0. Drive: 4 plays, 21 yards, 1:36.
CAR – DeAngelo Williams 45-yard pass from Cam Newton (Graham Gano kick), 0:58. Panthers 21–0. Drive: 6 plays, 72 yards, 2:42. Second quarter
CAR – Graham Gano 33-yard field goal, 0:06. Panthers 24–0. Drive: 10 plays, 61 yards, 1:29. Third quarter
CAR – Steve Smith Sr. 4-yard pass from Cam Newton (Graham Gano kick), 8:56. Panthers 31–0. Drive: 8 plays, 56 yards, 4:44. Fourth quarter
Top passers
CAR – Cam Newton – 19/33, 231 yards, 2 TD
SD – Philip Rivers – 16/23, 121 yards, TD Top rushers
CAR – DeAngelo Williams – 22 rushes, 93 yards
SD – Curtis Brinkley – 6 rushes, 42 yards Top receivers
CAR – Steve Smith Sr. – 6 receptions, 57 yards, TD
SD – Malcom Floyd – 2 receptions, 39 yards
With the win, the Panthers improved to 5–9 and 10–3 when Newton does not have a turnover. It also leaves the Panthers 1–2 against the AFC West.
Week 16: vs. Oakland Raiders
Week Sixteen: Oakland Raiders at Carolina Panthers – Game summary
Period
1
2
3 4 Total
Raiders
0
3
0 3 6
Panthers 7
7
0 3 17
at Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
OAK – Sebastian Janikowski 21-yard field goal, 6:25. Panthers 7–3. Drive: 11 plays, 73 yards, 6:07.
CAR – Cam Newton 3-yard run (Graham Gano kick), 0:17. Panthers 14–3. Drive: 4 plays, 29 yards, 1:04. Third quarter
Fourth quarter
OAK – Sebastian Janikowski 31-yard field goal, 13:18. Panthers 14–6. Drive: 7 plays, 5 yards, 1:42.
CAR – Graham Gano 51-yard field goal, 2:46. Panthers 17–6. Drive: 7 plays, 43 yards, 2:22.
Top passers
OAK – Matt Leinart – 16/32, 115 yards, INT
CAR – Cam Newton – 18/29, 179 yards, TD, INT Top rushers
OAK – Darren McFadden – 17 rushes, 33 yards
CAR – Cam Newton – 12 rushes, 60 yards, TD Top receivers
With the win, the Panthers improved to 6–9 and 2–16 when Newton turns the ball over at least once. Also, the team finished the season 2–2 against the AFC West.
Week 17: at New Orleans Saints
Week Seventeen: Carolina Panthers at New Orleans Saints – Game summary
Period
1
2
3 4 Total
Panthers 3
10
14 17 44
Saints
0
17
7 14 38
at Mercedes-Benz Superdome , New Orleans, Louisiana
Date : December 30Game time : 1:00 p.m. EST/12:00 p.m. CSTGame weather : Played indoors (dome stadium)Game attendance : 73,124Referee : Alberto RiveronTV announcers (Fox) : Ron Pitts, Mike Martz and Krista Voda
Game information
First quarter
CAR – Graham Gano 20-yard field goal, 5:41. Panthers 3–0. Drive: 15 plays, 76 yards, 7:06. Second quarter
CAR – Mike Tolbert 1-yard run (Graham Gano kick), 8:18. Panthers 10–0. Drive: 3 plays, 82 yards, 1:12.
NO – Marques Colston 7-yard pass from Drew Brees (Garrett Hartley kick), 5:14. Panthers 10–7. Drive: 7 plays, 76 yards, 3:04.
NO – Jonathan Vilma 18-yard interception return (Garrett Hartley kick), 4:31. Saints 14–10.
CAR – Graham Gano 31-yard field goal, 0:39. Saints 14–13. Drive: 9 plays, 60 yards, 3:52.
NO – Garrett Hartley 53-yard field goal, 0:00. Saints 17–13. Drive: 5 plays, 47 yards, 0:39. Third quarter
NO – Jimmy Graham 19-yard pass from Drew Brees (Garrett Hartley kick), 10:45. Saints 24–13. Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards, 4:15.
CAR – DeAngelo Williams 54-yard run (Graham Gano kick), 8:48. Saints 24–20. Drive: 4 plays, 80 yards, 1:57.
CAR – Mike Tolbert 1-yard run (Graham Gano kick), 2:29. Panthers 27–24. Drive: 3 plays, 36 yards, 1:18. Fourth quarter
CAR – Mike Tolbert 1-yard run (Graham Gano kick), 10:16. Panthers 34–24. Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards, 4:36.
CAR – DeAngelo Williams 12-yard run (Graham Gano kick), 8:23. Panthers 41–24. Drive: 1 play, 12 yards, 0:06.
NO – Marques Colston 9-yard pass from Drew Brees (Garrett Hartley kick), 5:10. Panthers 41–31. Drive: 10 plays, 81 yards, 3:13.
CAR – Graham Gano 42-yard field goal, 4:08. Panthers 44–31. Drive: 4 plays, 5 yards, 1:02.
NO – Darren Sproles 33-yard pass from Drew Brees (Garrett Hartley kick), 2:52. Panthers 44–38. Drive: 4 plays, 80 yards, 1:16.
Top passers
CAR – Cam Newton – 16/33, 248 yards, INT
NO – Drew Brees – 29/43, 396 yards, 4 TD, INT Top rushers
CAR – DeAngelo Williams – 21 rushes, 210 yards, 2 TD
NO – Mark Ingram – 10 rushes, 39 yards Top receivers
With the win the Panthers finished 7–9, good enough for 2nd place in the NFC South, and swept the Saints for the first time since 2008. Also, the team improved to 3–16 in games when Newton had a turnover. Also, Newton was one touchdown shy of being a 4th QB to have at least 20 passing touchdowns in his first 2 seasons as his total record of passing touchdowns stood at 19 while his rushing touchdowns stood at 8 leaving him with a failed improvement finishing with 27 total touchdowns.
