The 2011 season was the Carolina Panthers' 17th in the National Football League (NFL) and their first under head coach Ron Rivera. In Week 16 of the 2010 season, the team clinched the NFL's worst record of that year and was given the #1 pick in the 2011 NFL draft, with which the team selected Auburn quarterback Cam Newton, the 2010 Heisman Trophy winner. They improved on their 2–14 record from 2010, and finished 6–10, missing the playoffs for the third year in a row.
Despite their losing record, Carolina made many improvements. According to Football Outsiders, the Panthers had the biggest year-to-year offensive improvement in their history: they were worst in 2010, and moved up to 4th offensively in 2011, according to Football Outsiders statistical formulas. In addition, Football Outsiders states that Carolina had the best running game in their calculations' history. This was due to the addition of Cam Newton's running ability to the high-quality running tandem of running backs DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. The rushing attack eclipsed that of the previous record holder, the 2000 St. Louis Rams. In the process, Carolina became the first team in NFL history to have three players with 700 or more yards rushing in the same season: Williams with 836 yards, Stewart with 761 yards, and Newton with 706 yards. The Panthers also set the team record for net yards with 6,237, breaking the record originally set by the 2004 team.
Carolina's defense, however, was ranked last in the league, according to Football Outsiders. They allowed the fifth-most total yards in the league on defense in 2011, and the sixth-most points. Their pass defense gave up 7.6 yards per pass attempt (tied for worst in the league), and their 6.2 yards allowed per play was tied for third-worst in the league.Pro-Football-Reference.com: 2011 NFL Opposition & Defensive Statistics
Offseason
Free Agency Key Free Agent re-signings DE Charles Johnson: 6 years, $72 million, $30 million signing bonus. RB DeAngelo Williams: 5 years, $43 million, $21 million signing bonus. LB Jon Beason: 5 years, $50 million LB James Anderson: 5 years, $22 million, $8.5 million guaranteed. LB Thomas Davis: received a 5-year extension
Other Free Agents acquisitions K Olindo Mare (Seahawks): 3 years, $12 million, $4 million signing bonus. TE Ben Hartsock (Jets): 2 years, terms unknown TE Jeremy Shockey (Saints): 1 year, terms unknown WR Legedu Naanee (Chargers): 1 year, terms unknown LB Omar Gaither (Eagles): 1 year, term unknown TE Greg Olsen ( trade w/ Bears): 4 years, $24 million. Carolina traded a 2012 third round draft pick to acquire the tight end QB Derek Anderson (Cardinals): 1 year, terms unknown]
Draft
Draft Notes The Panthers traded its second-round selection (#33 overall) to the New England Patriots in exchange for a 2010 third round selection (#89 overall; used to select WR Armanti Edwards). Compensatory selection. The Panthers traded its original seventh-round selection (#204 overall) to the Green Bay Packers in exchange for long snapper J. J. Jansen.
Staff Carolina Panthers 2011 staff Front office Owner – Jerry Richardson President – Danny Morrison General manager – Marty Hurney Director of football operations – Brandon Beane Director of team administration – Rob Rogers Football operations manager – Bryan Porter Football operations assistant – Mike Anderson Director of pro scouting – Mark Koncz Director of college scouting – Don Gregory National scout – Jeff Morrow National scout – Mike Szabo Director of player development – Mark Carrier Executive assistant to the head coach – Linda O'Hora
Head coaches Head coach – Ron Rivera
Offensive coaches Offensive coordinator – Rob Chudzinski Quarterbacks – Mike Shula Running backs – John Settle Wide receivers – Fred Graves Tight ends – Pete Hoener Offensive line – John Matsko Assistant offensive line – Ray Brown Offensive quality control – Scott Turner Offensive consultant – Ricky Proehl Defensive coaches Defensive coordinator – Sean McDermott Defensive line – Eric Washington Linebackers – Warren Belin Defensive backfield – Ron Meeks Defensive quality control/assistant defensive line – Sam Mills III
Special teams coaches Special teams coordinator – Brian Murphy Administrative assistant to the coaching staff – Bobby Babich
Strength and conditioning Strength and conditioning – Joe Kenn Assistant strength and conditioning – Adam Feit
Roster
Preseason Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 New York Giants W 20–10 1–0 Bank of America Stadium Recap 2 at Miami Dolphins L 10–20 1–1 Sun Life Stadium Recap 3 at Cincinnati Bengals L 13–24 1–2 Paul Brown Stadium Recap 4 Pittsburgh Steelers L 17–33 1–3 Bank of America Stadium Recap
Regular season Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 September 11 at Arizona Cardinals L 21–28 0–1 University of Phoenix Stadium Recap 2 September 18 Green Bay Packers L 23–30 0–2 Bank of America Stadium Recap 3 September 25 Jacksonville Jaguars W 16–10 1–2 Bank of America Stadium Recap 4 October 2 at Chicago Bears L 29–34 1–3 Soldier Field Recap 5 October 9 New Orleans Saints L 27–30 1–4 Bank of America Stadium Recap 6 October 16 at Atlanta Falcons L 17–31 1–5 Georgia Dome Recap 7 October 23 Washington Redskins W 33–20 2–5 Bank of America Stadium Recap 8 October 30 Minnesota Vikings L 21–24 2–6 Bank of America Stadium Recap 9Bye 10 November 13 Tennessee Titans L 3–30 2–7 Bank of America Stadium Recap 11 November 20 at Detroit Lions L 35–49 2–8 Ford Field Recap 12 November 27 at Indianapolis Colts W 27–19 3–8 Lucas Oil Stadium Recap 13 December 4 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 38–19 4–8 Raymond James Stadium Recap 14 December 11 Atlanta Falcons L 23–31 4–9 Bank of America Stadium Recap 15 December 18 at Houston Texans W 28–13 5–9 Reliant Stadium Recap 16 Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 48–16 6–9 Bank of America Stadium Recap 17 January 1 at New Orleans Saints L 17–45 6–10 Mercedes-Benz Superdome RecapNote: Intra-division opponents are in bold' text.
Season summary
Week 1 at Cardinals
The Panthers opened up their regular season on the road against the Cardinals. Cam Newton came into the game amid numerous questions and after a mixed-performance 1–3 preseason. Newton surprisingly threw for 422 pass yards, an NFL record for a rookie in his first start. The Panthers came into the 3rd quarter leading 14–7, Newton having thrown 2 touchdown passes, each to Steve Smith. The Panthers came into the 4th quarter tied at 21. On a 4th & 13 at the Cardinals 47-yard line, the Panthers were forced to punt. Patrick Peterson returned the ball into the endzone for an 89-yard touchdown return. With 1:19 left, 4th and 5, at the Cardinals 6-yard line, game on the line, Cam Newton threw a short 4-yard pass to Mike Goodson which wasn't enough for the Panthers despite an amazing debut by Panthers rookie QB Cam Newton. With the loss the Panthers fell to 0–1 and lost their 3rd consecutive regular season opener.
Week 2
The Panthers' first home game of the season was a duel against the defending super bowl champions, the Green Bay Packers. Cam Newton threw for once again another 400+ yard game, becoming the first rookie ever to do so and only the 6th quarterback in NFL history to accomplish such a feat. Newton picked up where he left off against the Cardinals with an early score with 9:26 left in the 1st quarter of the game. The Panthers led 13–7 at halftime, stunning the defending Super Bowl champions. However, Green Bay came back when Aaron Rodgers threw a 49-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Greg Jennings to put the Packers up 14–13. A big game-changer was when there was 9:31 left in the 3rd quarter of the game. Cam Newton found Steve Smith, but Smith fumbled the football and Charles Woodson picked it up. Another big game changer was on a 4th and 4 at the Packers 6-yard line with 3:23 left in the game, score being 23–16 Packers, Cam Newton tried to scramble for the first down, but was 2 yards shy. The Packers won the game, 30–23, a much closer game than expected, but the Panthers still fell to 0–2 on the season.
Week 3
The Panthers came into Week 3 in need of a win in order to save their season. This game was against the Jacksonville Jaguars, who had gone 8–8 last season and were 1–1 to start the season in 2011. The Jaguars benched Luke McCown and started rookie Blaine Gabbert after McCown's disastrous four interceptions in a devastating 32–3 loss to the New York Jets. The Panthers started the game by sacking Gabbert and getting a safety, to lead 2–0.
With the score 5–3, one of the more memorable moments during the season occurred. A heavy rain started coming down, blanketing the stadium and flooding the concrete decks. Players slipped and slid all over the place, with water going everywhere. Most dramatically, the excess water on the stadium's upper deck poured onto the lower deck which poured onto the field. Although the field had a drainage system, it was not designed for such an amount of water at once. Moments later, a Gabbert pass was picked off by Carolina's Sherrod Martin. However, for those watching the game on TV it was difficult to tell who picked the pass off or where he was. The reason was CBS' main camera feed was covered with so many raindrops that identifying specific players on the field was nearly impossible. Viewers, therefore, had to rely on the call from play-by-play announcer Spero Dedes as to what was happening on the play. Subsequent replays gave them a clearer picture. With 0:06 left in the 1st half, Gabbert threw a 36-yard touchdown pass to Mike Thomas which was both the first career touchdown pass by Gabbert and the first touchdown pass for the Jaguars in the 2011 season. Jacksonville went up 10–5 at halftime; however, Carolina came back.
With 6:05 left in the 4th quarter, and the rain not coming down anymore although the field, players, and fans were still soaked, Cam Newton found Steve Smith for a gain of 13 yards. With 4:27 left, on a 3rd and 2, Newton found his new tight end, Greg Olsen, for a 16-yard touchdown pass to put the Panthers up 14–10. They made the 2-point conversion which put them ahead 16–10. Then, at the Panthers 35-yard line, with 0:06 remaining on the game clock, on the last play of the game, Gabbert's pass was tipped and incomplete. Not only was it the Panthers' first win of the season, it was also the first time since 2008 that they defeated an AFC team as well as the first time they won a game in September. The win put them at 1–2.
Week 4
In order to keep their season alive, the Panthers were in need of a win against the Bears for their first 2–2 or above start since 2008. Cam Newton threw for another 374 pass yards, his highest game total for the season. Things started rough for the Panthers when Newton threw a pass to D.J. Moore which was taken back the other way for a Chicago Bears touchdown that put the Bears ahead, 10–3. With the Panthers trailing 17–10, on a 4th and 5, forced to punt, Devin Hester beat the Panthers special teams' for a 69-yard punt return, which broke the NFL record for punt return touchdowns (11). At halftime, the Panthers were trailing 24–20. The third quarter was scoreless. But in the fourth quarter, with 14:17 remaining, Jay Cutler threw a pass to Charles Godfrey for an interception which the Panthers converted into a field goal. With 1:55 left on the game clock, Panthers trailing by 1, 23–24, on a fourth-and-10 at their own 42, Cam Newton threw a deep pass to Legedu Naanee which was incomplete. Matt Forte sealed the Bears' victory on the very next play from the Bears' 43 when he ran for 40 yards down to the Panthers' 3. The Bears won, 34–29. Newton was nominated for the Pepsi Rookie Of The Week awards. With the loss, the Panthers fell to 1–3.
Week 5