defeated longtime AFC powerhouse New England on Monday Night Football in Charlotte. The Panthers defense, led by second year linebacker Luke Kuechly, became the main star during the streak, holding opponents to 20 points or less. It finally ended in week 14, when Carolina was beaten 31-13 by their division rival New Orleans Saints on Sunday Night Football. The Panthers were able to finish strong with three victories in a row over the Jets and close wins over the Saints and Atlanta Falcons. The latter victory allowed Carolina to clinch their third NFC South title overall and the 2nd seed for the NFC playoffs. In the Divisional round of the playoffs, the Panthers hosted the 49ers. The reigning conference champions were much healthier than they were in the regular season, and defeated the Panthers 23–10. Following the season, Rivera won Coach of the Year, becoming the second Panthers coach to win the award. Kuechly also won Defensive Player of the Year, the first Panther to win the honor. 2014 season After a strong start with wins against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Detroit Lions, the Panthers suffered a dismal 1-8-1 record over the next 10 games, falling to 3-8-1 with an embarrassing loss against the Vikings, including having two punts blocked. Their record included a 37–37 overtime tie against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 6, the first ever tie in both franchise history and NFL history under the current overtime rules. The tide turned in December, with four consecutive wins against the New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cleveland Browns, and Atlanta Falcons. With these wins, the Panthers finished the season at 7-8-1. Despite having a losing record, the Panthers captured their second straight NFC South division title and, for the first time in franchise history, playoff berths in back-to-back years. They were also the first team in NFC South history to have back to back division titles and the second team to win a division title with a sub-.500 record, the first team being the 2010 Seattle Seahawks. The Panthers defeated the Arizona Cardinals in the Wild Card round, their first postseason victory in nine years, but lost to the Seattle Seahawks in the Divisional round. 2015 season: Super Bowl 50 The Panthers looked to improve on their playoff run from 2014, but things started ominously before the season. Top WR Kelvin Benjamin was lost for the year