Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) cheers on the sidelines during the second half of an NFL divisional playoff football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Sunday, Jan. 17, 2016, in Charlotte, N.C. The Carolina Panther…
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They then held on for dear life as the Seahawks came roaring back with 24 second-half points before Carolina recovered an onside kick in the final minute to secure a 31-24 win in the second round of the playoffs.
-With 6:26 remaining in the second quarter, the Panthers led 31-0 and had already eclipsed the team playoff record for points in a game.
Arizona survived a game-tying Hail Mary from Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers and beat the Packers in overtime.
“It’s great, it’s what you strive for and what you work for, and it’s been part of our vision”, Panthers coach Ron Rivera said of advancing to the NFC title game for the first time in his tenure. They failed to cover as a 7-point favorite.
-Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart missed the last three games of the regular season.
Noise, both positive and negative, continues to follow the Panthers as they prepare for the NFC championship game. “We just didn’t communicate well (at times)”. The Seattle running game was so absent, that their longest gain came on a fake punt by cornerback DeShawn Shead (17 yards). Wilson’s fourth pass of the game was an interception, too, when Mario Addison hit him as he threw and Cortland Finnegan picked him off. That led to a field goal. If the Panthers take a lead they need to keep playing aggressively and not take their foot off the gas. Carson Palmer of the Arizona Cardinals won the Heisman Trophy for Southern Cal in 2002.
Damarious Randall, who moments earlier had made a key interception in the end zone, deflected a pass intended for Fitzgerald inside the 5 and the ball sailed into the end zone into the hands of Michael Floyd for a 9-yard TD catch.
“We talked all week about starting the game with an attitude, going right at them, and it couldn’t have started any better”, said fullback Mike Tolbert, who helped spring Stewart with a block of linebacker K.J. Wright.
When the Seahawks went on offense, they gave the ball to Marshawn Lynch, who had not played since mid-November because of an abdominal injury.
Seattle stormed back, getting two touchdowns in the first 7:20 of the third quarter. However, a 31-0 halftime deficit didn’t have to equate to total devastation, according to Seattle wide receiver Doug Baldwin. The Panthers produced 220 yards in net offence to the Seahawks 123.
Steven Hauschka converted a 36-yard field goal with 1:12 left in the fourth quarter to draw the Seahawks within a touchdown. But that bid was quieted by the Panthers in the first half. They know this setting.
“The offensive line pretty much pushed them back about 4 yards on that side”, Stewart said. “It is one of those things that we most certainly as coaches have to make sure we are putting them in the right positon to do those things”.
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“I just think we did the things we needed to”, Rivera said.
