2014 Carolina Panthers season
| 2014 Carolina Panthers season | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Head coach | Ron Rivera |
| General manager | Dave Gettleman |
| Owner | Jerry Richardson |
| Home field | Bank of America Stadium |
| Results | |
| Record | 7–8–1 |
| Division place | 1st NFC South |
| Playoff finish |
Won Wild Card Playoffs (Cardinals) 27–16 Lost Divisional Playoffs (Seahawks) 31–17 |
| Pro Bowlers | TE Greg Olsen ILB Luke Kuechly |
| AP All-Pros | ILB Luke Kuechly (1st team) |
The 2014 Carolina Panthers season was the franchise's 20th season in the National Football League and the fourth under head coach Ron Rivera.
The Panthers captured their second straight NFC South division title and qualified for the postseason for the first time in back-to-back years despite a losing record of 7–8–1. Additionally, they became the first team in NFC South history to have back to back division titles and also became the second team to win a division title with a sub-.500 record, the first team being the 2010 Seattle Seahawks. The Panthers defeated the Arizona Cardinals in the Wild Card round, but lost to Seattle in the Divisional round.
The Panthers' preseason opponents were announced on April 9, 2014.
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Derek Anderson made his first start as Panthers QB, substituting for Cam Newton who was nursing a rib injury he'd suffered during the preseason. The change in QB didn't appear to faze the team, as the Panthers won their first season opener in six years, 20-14. They started the season 1-0 and improved to 1-0 without Newton starting.
Newton returned to the starting lineup with some added padding around his ribs. The game's highlight was a defensive interception against Lions star WR Calvin "Megatron" Johnson. With the win, the Panthers improved to 2-0 and 16-5 when Newton doesn't commit a turnover.
This was the first Sunday Night Football home game for the Panthers since 2009. With the loss, the Panthers dropped to 2-1. Newton left the game due to injury but he fumbled the ball. This dropped the team to 10-20 when he commits a turnover.
This game marked the first time WR Steve Smith Sr. played against his former team after being cut in the offseason. He was clearly fired up, recording over 100 yards receiving and two touchdown receptions. With the loss, the Panthers record was 2-2. The team dropped to 16-6 when Newton doesn't commit a turnover.
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