text: 2005 season Despite a home-opening loss to the New Orleans Saints to start off the 2005 season, the Panthers got revenge against the two-time defending champion New England Patriots for the loss in Super Bowl XXXVIII, winning the rematch by a final score of 27–17. Despite going on the road and losing a close game to the Miami Dolphins 27–24, the Panthers managed to get a six-game winning streak going, including a win at home on Monday Night Football against the Green Bay Packers. In a home game against the Minnesota Vikings, Steve Smith, who had already emerged as one of the league's best wide receivers had a real breakthrough, catching 11 passes for 201 yards and 1 touchdown, with his longest reception of the game being 69 yards. Jake Delhomme also enjoyed one of his best outings in years, completing 21 of 29 passes for 341 yards and three touchdowns, giving Delhomme a nomination for FedEx Air Player of The Week.
  Their winning streak came to an end however at the hands of the Chicago Bears. The #1 defense held the Panthers to just three points, as they lost the game 13–3. After losing to the Cowboys in the season's penultimate game, the Panthers needed a victory to secure a spot in the playoffs. They responded with a dominating New Year's Day performance at the Georgia Dome, a 44–11 victory over the Falcons, making the score the largest margin of victory in franchise history, and the first time since 1997 that the Panthers were able to beat the Falcons in the Georgia Dome. With that victory, the Panthers secured themselves the NFC's #5 seed.
  The Panthers began their post-season play on Sunday January 8, 2006 at Giants Stadium against the New York Giants. After both sides failed to score in the first quarter, the trifecta of Delhomme, DeShaun Foster, and Smith showed dominance as they shut out the Giants 23–0. New York was the nation's number one television market, and the shutout in the playoffs was significant.