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| SUPER BOWL SUNDAY | 35 SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2016 By Cam Inman Bay Area News Group The third time was the charm for the Carolina Pan- thers, who have finally broken through to the Super Bowl after falling short each of the past two post- seasons. The top-seeded Panthers (16-1) capped off an unde- feated reign at home this season by topping the Ari- zona Cardinals in the NFC championship game. Here is what you need to know about the Panthers as they make their Levi's Stadium debut in Super Bowl 50: Road to Super Bowl 50 The Panthers entered December 2014 with a 3-8-1 record. They closed that regular season with a four- game win streak, and reached the NFC championship game at Seattle. Since then, they have been almost unstoppable, losing only Dec. 27 at Atlanta (20-13). That defeat ended an 18-game, regular-season win streak which was the longest in NFC history, overtak- ing 15-gamers by the 49ers (1989-90) and Green Bay Packers (2010-11). The Panthers have set franchise records not only for wins but also regular-season points (500) and touch- downs (59). Only four playoff teams were on Caroli- na's regular-season schedule: Houston (24-17), Seat- tle (27-23), Green Bay (37-29) and Washington (44-16). Every team that has started a regular season 14-0 has advanced to the Super Bowl, with the Panthers joining the 1972 Miami Dolphins, 2007 New England Patriots and 2009 Indianapolis Colts. Turning point Six teams started 5-0, and that's when the Panthers really gained notice with a 27-23, comeback win at two-time defending NFC champion Seattle. The Pan- thers fell behind 23-14 with 11:46 remaining when they responded with two, 80-yard touchdown drives. Cam Newton capped the comeback with a 26-yard touchdown pass to tight end Greg Olsen with 32 sec- onds remaining. "This was one of the bigger victories that we have had since I have been here," coach Ron Rivera said in his opening, postgame remarks. "One of the things that stood out and one of the things that l liked today was the resiliency." Rivera also said of the Panthers' path to relevancy: "Right now, the standard in the NFL is New England. That's what everybody is gunning for. So we have to continue just to do our job, take it one at a time." Big game history The Panthers are 2 for 4 in NFC championship games, having only previously made the Super Bowl in the 2003 season. Carolina fell 32-29 in Super Bowl XXXVIII when the Patriots' Adam Vinatieri kicked a 41-yard field goal with four seconds remaining. The Panthers and Patriots combined for 37 points in the fourth quarter, including two touchdown passes from the Panthers' Jake Delhomme, who threw a ty- ing strike to Ricky Proehl with 1:08 to go. Impact players Quarterback Cam Newton raised his game to a MVP-caliber level in his fifth season. He had a ca- reer-high 99.4 passer rating and ran for 636 yards. He's the first player in NFL history with over 30 pass- ing touchdowns (35) and 10 rushing touchdowns in a season. Linebackers Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis joined Newton on the All-Pro First Team, along with cornerback Josh Norman, fullback Mike Tol- bert and center Ryan Kalil, the latter anchoring a line that allowed Newton to get sacked a career- low 33 times. Beside those six, the Panthers had 10 players make Pro Bowl honors, with the others being tight end Greg Olson, running back Jonathan Stewart, defensive tackle Kawann Short and guard Trai Turner. Northern California ties Panthers coach Ron R ivera is from Marina and played at Cal, as did Panthers special teams coordinator Richard Rodgers. … Wide receiver and return specialist Ted Ginn Jr. played for the 49ers from 2010-12. … Defensive end Jared Allen went to Los Gatos High and Live Oak High in Morgan Hill. … Quarterbacks coach Ken Dorsey (Miramonte High of Orinda) and assistant offensive line coach Ray Brown also played for the 49ers. … Special teams coordinator Bruce DeHaven served in that role with the 49ers from 2000-02. … Running backs coach Jim Skipper previously coached at San Jose State, the University of the Pacific and with the XFL's San Francisco Demons. … Tight ends coach Pete Hoener coached on the 49ers from 2005-10. … Guard Amini Silatolu (injured reserve) is from Tracy. … Safety Colin Jones was a 2011 sixth-round draft pick of the 49ers, who traded him the next year to the Panthers. … Tight end Scott Simonson played four games in 2014 for the Raiders after being signed as an undrafted free agent. … Assistant special teams/nickel back coach Curtis Fuller was a special teams assistant with the Raiders in 2007. The Panthers will win if … Cam Newton can inspire a run-oriented offense that has crested the 100-yard rushing mark in ev- ery game this season. If Jonathan Stewart can't find room on the ground, Newton will have to find magic in the air, though defenders surely will focus on Ol- son. … If defensive linemen Kawann Short and Star Lotulelei can clog the interior, that will allow line- backer Luke Kuechly to patrol with menace. … A tight score down the stretch could play to Newton's strengths, as he has four game-winning drives in the fourth quarter or overtime this season. A CHARMING STORY PANTHERS Greg Olsen #88 of the Carolina Panthers celebrates defeating the Arizona Cardinals with a score of 49-15 to win the NFC Championship Game at Bank of America Stadium on January 24 in Charlotte, North Carolina. STREETER LECKA — GETTY IMAGES QUARTERBACK CAM NEWTON RAISED HIS GAME TO A MVP-CALIBER LEVEL IN HIS FIFTH SEASON.