Newton threw for two touchdowns and ran for two more, and linebacker Luke Kuechly and safeties Kurt Coleman and Tre Boston came up with two takeaways apiece as Carolina claimed the final coveted spot in Super Bowl 50 with a 49-15 triumph over the Arizona Cardinals at Bank of America Stadium.
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Earlier, Denver and veteran quarterback Peyton Manning edged last year’s champion New England Patriots and their signal caller Tom Brady 20-18 for the AFC title. Those two men are talented, but this Arizona defense ranked sixth against the run during the regular season and that spells trouble for the Panthers. Arizona, which started slow for the second week in a row, finally scored on running back David Johnson’s 1-yard run with 5:44 left in the first half.
“We’re a complete team”, receiver Corey Brown said.
It’s very possible the Panthers win the Super Bowl this year without their star wide receiver in Kelvin Benjamin.
As reported by NPR, the Carolina Panthers defeated the Arizona Cardinals in convincing fashion 49-15 to earn a trip to the Super Bowl for the first time since 2004.
“It’s a cliche question you ask yourself but ‘why not us?'” Newton said of advancing to the Super Bowl.
This will be Newton’s fifth playoff game and he’s already won a national championship at Auburn, so he doesn’t expect nerves to be a problem – especially playing in the comfort of home where the Panthers have won 12 straight games.
Criticized for being too conservative in the passing game in the overtime victory against Green Bay a week ago, Palmer let it fly from the outset. Olsen led the Panthers with 77 receptions for 1,104 receiving yards this season and caught Newton’s only touchdown pass last week against Seattle.
“I kept digging us in a hole that we just couldn’t come out of”, Palmer said. “I’m excited and ready to go, man. We still have one more thing to do”.
When they match up, it could be the most entertaining and significant battle in the game.
With storylines abound in this highly anticipated NFC title matchup, there’s plenty to watch for in Charlotte come Sunday night. Arizona wrapped up their season in first place of the NFC West with 13 wins and just three losses.
At the two-minute warning, the brash Panthers gathered for a group “dab” and pointed to the stands behind the team bench.
McClain and Co. sparkled in part because Carolina’s front seven didn’t give quarterback Carson Palmer time to get comfortable.
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The scoring started quickly, as it did for the Panthers against the Seahawks. RB Jonathan Stewart ran for 106 yards and two TDs last week vs. Seattle after missing three games with foot injury…. Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer is looking for his first road playoff win in his career, and he is having a career season in Arizona.
