Quarterback Cam Newton completed 21-of-37 pass attempts for 300 yards and two touchdowns. One of those was a 30-yard throw to a streaking wide reciver Ted Ginn, beating safety Donte Whitner and cornerback Josh Norman in the first quarter.
With Newton completing more than half his passes for the first time since Week 12 at Oakland, the Panthers' offense clicked for 439 total yards. Even when the Panthers failed to score a touchdown, kicker Graham Gano was there to tack on four field goals, including a 41-yard kick to set the final score.
But it was Carolina's defense that was the story.