<
        >

          NFL Nation

          Top moments that defined Panthers in 2014: No. 6

          • David Newton, ESPN Staff WriterJan 26, 2015, 08:00 AM ET
            Close
              David Newton is an NFL reporter at ESPN and covers the Carolina Panthers. Newton began covering Carolina in 1995 and came to ESPN in 2006 as a NASCAR reporter before joining NFL Nation in 2013. You can follow Newton on Twitter at @DNewtonespn.
            Follow on X

          Next on my list of top moments that defined the Carolina Panthers in 2014 is one that began the season turnaround and run for a second straight NFC South title.

          • No. 6: Touchdown to Benjamin

          • Date and place: Dec. 7, Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans

          • The moment: Carolina ended the game's first series against the New Orleans Saints with a 9-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Cam Newton to wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin. It culminated a drive in which Newton completed all five pass attempts for 56 yards out of the no-huddle offense. It led to a passer rating of 114.0 for a quarterback who came into the game with a career-worst 78.9 rating.

          • Why it was so significant: It wasn't so much that the pass or catch was spectacular. It was that Carolina finished an opening drive with a touchdown for only the second time all season. It was that the Panthers were successful in the red zone, where they struggled much of the season. The drive sparked a 41-10 victory that ended a seven-game winless streak and led to a four-game winning streak to finish the regular season. It instilled confidence in an offense that for much of the season had nothing to be confident about.