The almost flawless 16-1 Carolina Panthers will host the 14-3 Arizona Cardinals in the NFC Championship game on Sunday at 6:40 p.m. This is not the first time these two teams have met in the playoffs. Last season, the Panthers escaped in a sloppy 27-16 victory.
The Panthers have left football fans speechless with a show-stopping performance this season. Unfortunately, that came at the cost of multiple injuries throughout the season, which left the offense slower than normal. Running back Jonathan Stewart, who ran for an exceptional 989 yards this season, is dealing with an ankle injury. His return is questionable but gives the Cardinals an easy target. To compensate for this, Cam Newton’s mobility in and outside the pocket should allow him to open up the field. Newton is coming off an MVP-caliber season where he passed for 35 touchdowns.
Carolina’s offensive attack will face the No. 5 defense in the NFL. Arizona’s cornerback Patrick Peterson and safety Deone Bucannon are the linchpins of their defensive unit.
On offense, Arizona will be guided by quarterback Carson Palmer, who has passed for 35 touchdowns and 4,671 yards.
The sneaky Panthers defense will be led by safety Kurt Coleman and linebacker Luke Kuechly. They will challenge Arizona’s explosive offense.
Prediction: The Panthers will be 17-1 going into the Super Bowl against the New England Patriots.