Why it was so significant: This was significant on so many levels. Had the Panthers scored to pull within 24-17 they still would have had a chance to extend a season that appeared over at 3-8-1. That they didn’t magnified the struggles in the red zone that haunted the offense -- 26th in the NFL in scoring touchdowns -- all season. It magnified the gap between Cam Newton and an elite quarterback like Seattle's Russell Wilson, who played almost flawlessly to get the Seahawks to the NFC championship for the second straight year. It reminded of the many mistakes that made the 2014 season such a struggle, whether it was on offense, defense or special teams. It showed just how far Carolina had come, and just how far it had to go.