LYNCH A NON-FACTOR: Seahawks power back Marshawn Lynch returned from an eight-game absence following abdominal surgery but was never a factor. Tyler Lockett proved he was more than just an All-Pro returner finishing second on the team with 51 catches – 30 in the final seven games – and six touchdowns. “Yeah, we won the football game but there are some things we’ve got to go back and huddle up and be better with”.
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“When you get a big lead like that, one of the things is you have to learn to not relax”, Rivera said.
By the time Newton found Greg Olsen for a 19-yard touchdown against two defenders with 6:26 left in the second quarter, Carolina had more points (31) than Seattle had total yards (17). They have everything needed for sustained success – veteran leadership, young talent, good coaching and, yes, that resiliency. Sure, they came in as the No. 6 seed and were visiting a Carolina team that had rolled to 15 regular-season wins – including a comeback win in Seattle in Week 6 – behind MVP candidate Cam Newton but they also knew they had the experience and confidence to make a third straight trip to the sport’s biggest weekend.
Last year’s loss in the Super Bowl and the issues that followed had a direct impact on what ultimately turned out to be a disappointing 2015 campaign.
Regardless, this was a team that had expected much more.
The Denver Broncos will host defending champions the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship game.
The Panthers and Cardinals have not played this season, but this has the potential to be a high-scoring matchup.
Easier said than executed. Although this is a different kind of Manning-led team, it appears that it is working.
Arizona won in its only other NFC championship game appearance in 2008 before losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers 27-23 in the Super Bowl. I also find it tough to trust the Panthers, as they go cold at times, as we saw in the second half against the Seahawks. The Panthers defensive tackles Kawann Short and Star Lotulelei proved to be a huge problem for the Seahawks offensive line as the two wreaked havoc on the offense early in the game. “We look forward to the next opportunity, and that’s life. We talk about that a lot: It doesn’t have to be pretty, just throw it up there and I’ll try to go attack the ball and get it”.
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Even though the Seahawks’ season is over, they can not be forgotten for the powerhouse that they have turned into under Pete Carroll’s reign and there is no reason to think that will change next year.
