CHARLOTTE, N.C. – In 2014, the Carolina Panthers came off their bye week with had five games left in the season. Every team in the NFL South had a losing record and Carolina’s got worse after a 31-13 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, who returned two blocked kicks for touchdowns on a 12-degree day at the University of Minnesota’s outdoor stadium.
A sixth-straight loss dropped the Panthers to third in the division at 3-8-1, a game-and-a-half behind the New Orleans Saints. Most of the football world wrote them off. Even Carolina players doubted their ability to succeed.