Week 1: at New York Giants The Panthers began their season at
New Meadowlands Stadium for an NFC duel with
the New York Giants. In the first quarter, Carolina got the stadium's very first points with kicker
John Kasay nailing a 21-yard field goal. The Giants would answer with quarterback
Eli Manning making a 26-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
Hakeem Nicks. In the second quarter, the Panthers slowly retook the lead with Kasay hitting on 52 and 43-yard field goals. The Giants responded with Manning getting a 19-yard touchdown pass to Nicks, but the Panthers replied with quarterback
Matt Moore making a 19-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
Steve Smith. In the third quarter, the Panthers fell behind when kicker
Lawrence Tynes made a 32-yard field goal, which was extended further with Manning making a 5-yard touchdown pass to Nicks, followed in the fourth quarter by running back
Ahmad Bradshaw getting a 4-yard touchdown run. After this point, the Panthers tried to mount a comeback when rookie defensive end
Greg Hardy blocked a punt out of the back of the end zone for a safety, but the Giants' defense prevented anything else happening. With the loss, the Panthers began the season at 0–1.
Week 2: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Looking for their first win of the season, the Panthers flew home for a divisional duel against
the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In the first quarter, Tampa Bay struck first with
Josh Freeman's 14-yard touchdown pass to running back
Earnest Graham. The Panthers responded with
Matt Moore throwing a 37-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
Steve Smith. The Buccaneers' defense dominated, holding running backs
Jonathan Stewart and
DeAngelo Williams to 43 and 54 yards rushing, respectively. Moore completed 6 out of 16 passes with one touchdown and one interception, while being sacked four times. After losing a fumble, he was benched in favor of rookie
Jimmy Clausen in hopes for a rally, however the Buccaneers defense prevented any further progress. With the loss, the Panthers fell to 0–2 for the second straight season.
Week 3: vs. Cincinnati Bengals Still searching for their first win of the season, the Panthers stayed at home for their Week 3 interconference duel with
the Cincinnati Bengals. With quarterback
Matt Moore struggling, rookie quarterback
Jimmy Clausen was given the start. Carolina would trail in the first half as Bengals running back
Cedric Benson got a 1-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, followed by kicker
Mike Nugent's 33-yard field goal in the second quarter. The Panthers would strike back in the third quarter as running back
Jonathan Stewart got a 1-yard touchdown run, but Cincinnati would close out the game in the fourth quarter as Nugent nailed a 50-yard field goal, followed by quarterback
Carson Palmer's 7-yard touchdown pass to Benson. With the loss, Carolina fell to 0–3.
Week 4: at New Orleans Saints Still looking for their first win the Panthers flew to
Louisiana Superdome for an NFC South rivalry match against the Saints. In the first quarter Carolina trailed early as quarterback
Drew Brees completed a 4-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
Lance Moore. Carolina replied with quarterback
Jimmy Clausen making a 55-yard touchdown pass to running back
Jonathan Stewart. The Panthers trailed when kicker
John Carney nailed a 32-yard field goal, but took the lead when running back
DeAngelo Williams made a 39-yard touchdown run. Then
John Carney made two field goals to give the Panthers a loss. He made a 32-yard field goal in the 3rd quarter and a 25-yard field goal in the 4th. With the close loss, the Panthers fell to 0–4.
Week 5: vs. Chicago Bears Still looking for a win the Panthers played on home ground for an interdivisional NFC duel with the Bears. In the first quarter the Panthers trailed early as running back
Matt Forte got an 18-yard touchdown run. The Panthers replied with kicker
John Kasay making a 24-yard field goal. The Panthers fell further behind with Forte making a 68-yard touchdown run, followed by a 28-yard field goal from kicker
Robbie Gould. In the third quarter the Panthers replied with Kasay making a 53-yard field goal, but in the 4th quarter the Bears pulled away when Gould made a 53 and a 43-yard field goal. With the loss, Carolina entered their bye week at 0–5.
Week 6: Bye Week 7: vs. San Francisco 49ers Coming off their bye week the Panthers played on home ground for another interdivisional duel with
the San Francisco 49ers. In the first quarter the Panthers trailed early as quarterback
Alex Smith got a 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end
Vernon Davis. The lead was cut when kicker
John Kasay nailed a 47-yard field goal. The 49ers scored with kicker
Joe Nedney making a 24-yard field goal. The Panthers managed to tie the game with quarterback
Matt Moore completing an 18-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
David Gettis. They took the lead in the third quarter with Kasay booting a 55-yard field goal. They eventually trailed again in the fourth quarter with Nedney hitting a 38-yard field goal, and with defensive end
Ray McDonald returning an interception 31 yards for a touchdown. However, the Panthers tied the game for the second time with Moore finding Gettis again on a 23-yard touchdown pass. After the game was tied Kasay successfully put away a 37-yard field goal to give the Panthers their first win of the season out of six games, improving them to 1–5.
Week 8: at St. Louis Rams Coming off their win over the 49ers the Panthers flew to
Edward Jones Dome for an NFC duel with the Rams. In the second quarter the Panthers trailed early as kicker
Josh Brown nailed a 33-yard field goal. This was followed by quarterback
Sam Bradford completing a 2-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
Danny Amendola. The Panthers replied with kicker
John Kasay making a 44-yard field goal. The Panthers fell further behind in the fourth quarter with Bradford finding tight end
Daniel Fells on a 23-yard touchdown pass, followed by Brown getting a 41-yard field goal. The Panthers responded with quarterback
Matt Moore making a 17-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
Brandon LaFell. With the loss, Carolina fell to 1–6.
Week 9: vs. New Orleans Saints Hoping to rebound from their loss to the Rams the Panthers played on home ground for an NFC South rivalry match against the Saints. In the first quarter the Panthers took the lead after kicker
John Kasay made a 20-yard field goal. Then they conceded a large scoring run after quarterback
Drew Brees completed a 7-yard touchdown pass to tight end
Jeremy Shockey, followed by Brees finding tight end
Jimmy Graham on a 19-yard touchdown pass. The lead was extended by kicker
Garrett Hartley as he nailed a 31 and a 36-yard field goal. The Panthers had more problems after quarterback
Jimmy Clausen's pass was intercepted by cornerback
Jabari Greer and returned 24 yards for a touchdown. This was followed by running back
Ladell Betts getting a 1-yard touchdown run. This was
Tony Pike's only game of his career. With the loss, the Panthers fell to 1–7, and were swept by the Saints for the first time since
2001.
Week 10: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers Trying to break a two-game losing streak the Panthers flew to
Raymond James Stadium for an NFC South rivalry match against the Buccaneers. In the first quarter the Panthers trailed early as quarterback
Josh Freeman made an 8-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
Arrelious Benn. They narrowed the lead with kicker
John Kasay hitting a 46-yard field goal. They struggled further in the second quarter with running back
LeGarrette Blount getting a 17-yard touchdown run; but they replied with running back
Josh Vaughan making a 2-yard touchdown run. Tampa Bay scored again when Freeman found tight end
Kellen Winslow on a 20-yard touchdown pass. The Panthers tried to cut the lead down with Kasay's 28- and 48-yard field goals, but the Buccaneers pulled away in the fourth quarter with kicker
Connor Barth nailing a 32-yard field goal, and with running back
Cadillac Williams getting a 45-yard touchdown run. With the loss, the Panthers fell to 1–8, and were swept by the Buccaneers for the first time since
2002.
Week 11: vs. Baltimore Ravens Hoping to break their losing streak the Panthers played on home ground for an inter-conference duel with the Ravens. In the first quarter the Panthers trailed early with quarterback
Joe Flacco getting a 56-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
T. J. Houshmandzadeh. This was followed by kicker
Billy Cundiff nailing a 22-yard field goal. The Panthers replied with kicker
John Kasay making a 45-yard field goal, but they struggled further with running back
Ray Rice getting a 1-yard touchdown run, followed by Cundiff hitting a 33-yard field goal in the third quarter. The Panthers tried to cut the lead when Kasay made a 40-yard field goal. This was followed by quarterback
Brian St. Pierre completing an 88-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
David Gettis. The Ravens answered back with Cundiff hitting a 49-yard field goal. The Panthers had further problems with both St. Pierre's passes intercepted by
Ed Reed (who later threw a lateral to Dawan Landry), and
Ray Lewis, in which both of them were returned for a touchdown 23 and 24 yards respectively. With the loss, Carolina fell to 1–9, and was officially eliminated from playoff contention. Additionally, wins from the rest of their division rivals mathematically ensured that Carolina would be locked in a season-ending 4th-place finish in the NFC South division.
Week 12: at Cleveland Browns The Panthers' eleventh game was an interconference duel with the Browns at
Cleveland Browns Stadium. In the first quarter the Panthers took the lead as running back
Mike Goodson got a 26-yard touchdown run. They trailed after running back
Peyton Hillis got a 9, 5 and then a 6-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. The lead was narrowed when kicker
John Kasay made field goals from 43 and 42 yards. This was followed by cornerback
Captain Munnerlyn returning an interception 37 yards for a touchdown. The Panthers got the lead when Kasay hit a 43-yard field goal. They slightly trailed after kicker
Phil Dawson hit a 41-yard field goal. The Panthers' hopes for a win got denied as Kasay missed a 42-yard field goal with the time expiring. With the close loss, the Panthers fell to 1–10.
Week 13: at Seattle Seahawks The Panthers' twelfth game was an NFC duel with the Seahawks at
Qwest Field. They took the early lead after running back
Mike Goodson got a 6-yard touchdown run, followed by running back
Jonathan Stewart getting a 3-yard touchdown run. They failed to maintain this lead after kicker
Olindo Mare made a 24-yard field goal, followed by
Marshawn Lynch getting a 1-yard touchdown run, then with middle linebacker
Lofa Tatupu returning an interception 26 yards for a touchdown. This was followed by Lynch getting a 1 and a 22-yard touchdown run. With the loss, the Panthers fell to 1–11.
Week 14: vs. Atlanta Falcons The Panthers' thirteenth game was an NFC South rivalry match against the Falcons. The Panthers trailed early as quarterback
Matt Ryan completed a 4-yard touchdown pass to tight end
Tony Gonzalez, followed by running back
Michael Turner getting a 1-yard touchdown run, and then with kicker
Matt Bryant nailing a 39-yard field goal. The Panthers scored in the third quarter with running back
Mike Goodson getting a 13-yard touchdown run, but the Falcons replied as Turner got a 3-yard touchdown run. The Panthers cut the lead as kicker
John Kasay made a 36-yard field goal, but fell further behind as Turner got a 4-yard touchdown run. With the loss, Carolina fell to 1–12.
Week 15: vs. Arizona Cardinals The Panthers' fourteenth game was an NFC duel with the Cardinals at home. In the first quarter the Panthers took the lead as kicker
John Kasay hit a 28 and a 29-yard field goal. This was followed in the second quarter by quarterback
Jimmy Clausen completing a 16-yard touchdown pass to tight end
Jeff King. The Cardinals answered back with kicker
Jay Feely nailing a 23-yard field goal, but the Panthers increased their lead after Kasay made a 24 and a 43-yard field goal. The lead was narrowed with
Steve Breaston recovering a fumble in the end zone for a touchdown (with a failed two-point conversion) and then with Feely getting a 30-yard field goal. The Panthers' defense and
Jonathan Stewart's 137 yards rushing were enough to secure the win. With the win, Carolina improved to 2–12. It would be John Fox's last home victory as the Panthers head coach.
Week 16: at Pittsburgh Steelers Coming off their win over the Cardinals, the Panthers flew to
Heinz Field for a Week 16 interconference duel with the
Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday night. Carolina trailed in the first quarter as Steelers kicker
Shaun Suisham got a 26-yard field goal. The Panthers continued to struggle in the second quarter as quarterback
Ben Roethlisberger completed a 43-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
Mike Wallace, followed by running back
Rashard Mendenhall getting a 1-yard touchdown run and Suisham making a 29-yard field goal. Pittsburgh continued to increase their lead in the third quarter with Roethlisberger getting a 1-yard touchdown run. Carolina would close out the game in the fourth quarter with a 27-yard field goal from kicker
John Kasay. With the loss, the Panthers fell to 2–13, and became the first NFC South team to ever lose to all of their AFC North opponents.
Week 17: at Atlanta Falcons The Panthers' final game was a division rivalry rematch against the Falcons. The Panthers trailed early as quarterback
Matt Ryan got a 6-yard touchdown pass to tight end
Tony Gonzalez. Their problems continued after a three-and-out converted into a 55-yard punt return for a touchdown by
Eric Weems; followed by Ryan completing a 14-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
Roddy White. The Panthers tried to cut the lead with kicker
John Kasay getting a 23-yard field goal, but they struggled further as kicker
Matt Bryant made a 47-yard field goal, followed by running back
Michael Turner getting a 3-yard touchdown run. The Panthers tried to come back but only came away with a touchdown as quarterback
Jimmy Clausen connected to tight end
Jeff King on a 2-yard pass. With the loss, the Panthers were swept by the Falcons for the first time since
2004, and finished their season on a 2–14 record – the second worst in the history of the franchise (until 2023), and the worst record of any NFL team for the 2010 season. ==References==