CHARLOTTE, N.C. _ Cam Newton to Kelvin Benjamin was a quiet combination in the first half. Then the second half started.
After catching two Newton passes for 26 yards before halftime, Benjamin finished with seven catches for 108 yards and two touchdowns as the Panthers beat the 49ers 43-27 victory at Bank of America Stadium.
Newton, who seemed to focus on Benjamin and tight end Greg Olsen in the season opener, spread the ball around more effectively in Week 2. Greg Olsen had a 78-yard touchdown catch, and Devin Funchess caught a fourth-quarter scoring pass to put the game away.
Carolina needed all of that to overcome a sloppy stretch of the fourth quarter that saw the Panthers give up 17 points, including touchdowns on consecutive offensive plays, that cut their lead to a touchdown.
But Newton went to Benjamin again, for a 25-yard gain on third and 10 that kept a Panthers drive alive. That led to Graham Gano's 49-yard field goal, which pushed the lead back to 10 with 4:08 to play. Luke Kuechly's interception of Blaine Gabbert led to the Funchess touchdown that made the lead comfortable again.
