Panthers flashback: Reliving the Thanksgiving Day massacre at Cowboys

It’s been six years since the Carolina Panthers annihilated the Dallas Cowboys during a phenomenal Thanksgiving moment in 2021.

The Carolina Panthers might not have a game on Thanksgiving this year. But there is one occasion in particular that continues to live long in the memory within the team’s loyal fanbase.

What better time to revisit it than today?

And no prizes for guessing what we are talking about.

Of course, it was the Thanksgiving Day massacre at the Dallas Cowboys.

Although the Panthers came into this game during the 2015 season in phenomenal form, there were still some analysts that questioned the team’s capability to keep their sensational run going towards the business end of the campaign.

The Cowboys were expected to provide a real test of Carolina’s credentials, with the Panthers donning the all-blue attire for their primetime showcase on the road.

And boy, did they deliver.

Carolina Panthers demolished the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving.

This was a demolition job from start to finish. Something that made the entire NFL sit up and extend Carolina’s outstanding unbeaten streak in the process.

For every Panthers fan watching at home and in the stands, it was a joy to watch. A testament to just how special this team actually was.

Defense set the tone early on. Cam Newton and the offense put the exclamation point on proceedings.

Kurt Coleman’s pick-six in the first quarter got Carolina off on the front foot. And Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo’s miserable first half continued with perennial All-Pro linebacker Luke Kuechly intercepting him again to go in for yet another score.

Unbelievable to most. But this typified the way Carolina’s exceptional defense seized almost every opportunity throughout arguably the finest season in franchise history.

The Panthers took a commanding 23-3 lead into the halftime break and sucked the life out of Cowboys Stadium. It was a beautiful sight.

Although the Panthers remained dominant throughout the second half, they managed just one more touchdown through a four-year run from Newton, who obviously went on to win NFL MVP that same year after taking the entire league by storm with flamboyance and electrifying performances in equal measure.

The Cowboys managed a score in garbage time, obviously. But the damage had been done long before.

Carolina went on to record a 15-1 season, win the NFC Championship and reach the Super Bowl, where they came unstuck against the Denver Broncos as their championship tilt fell at the final hurdle.

A first Vince Lombardi Trophy eluded them. However, one cannot overstate just how much this group of players shifted the dynamic of the organization.

This team had everything.

They made you feel like anything was possible.

There aren’t many left from the 2015 season. Even though one more came back after Newton’s sensational return that has galvanized the franchise once again.

The new regime is trying to make its own way. Change isn’t easy to accept as a fan, but it’s also worth remembering that nothing lasts forever.

Regardless of what happens during the remainder of the season or in the years to come, nobody will ever be able to take the 2015 season from the team away from anybody who was lucky enough to witness them.

It was a magical time in the lives of every Panthers fan. Hopefully, fans won’t have to wait much longer before moments such as this can be enjoyed again.