Arizona had the ball first but was forced into a three-and-out.
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Exactly 12 years ago, the Panthers suffered a heartbreaking loss to the Patriots in their first-ever Super Bowl appearance. Don’t tell that team that it has not been disrespected, because many people felt that winning 15 games on the NFL’s easiest schedule meant nothing if they couldn’t go 3-0 in the playoffs. Earlier Sunday Peyton Manning, a five-time NFL MVP. led the Denver Broncos to a 20-18 win over Brady and the Patriots.
A hot start was encouraging for the Panthers, but they faded out of the game after half time, and they can’t rely on a similar start against a very strong Cardinals side. He completed 27 of 38 passes with one touchdown in a 36-14 win at Bank of of America during Newton’s second season.
One of his biggest helpers was Ted Ginn, who was dumped by the Cardinals after last season.
The Panthers got off to a fiery start scoring on their first three possessions. After Ginn set the table with a 32-yard punt return, he scored on a reverse from the 22-yard line, when Newton faked a handoff, faked a run and pitched it back to Ginn, who eventually weaved his way all the way back across the field for the touchdown. I have to give the nod to the Panthers, again unfortunately, because they have the better offense.
“It hurts to lose like this, in this fashion”, said Cardinals veteran wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, who was held to 30 yards receiving after gaining 176 yards last week against the Green Bay Packers.
It didn’t get any better even when Arizona finally moved the ball into Carolina territory, only to see Kawann Short sack Palmer and strip the ball.
On Arizona’s first play after Peterson’s muff, Palmer was sacked and fumbled. Despite losing key players such as linebacker Thomas Davis (arm injury) and safety Roman Harper (eye injury), the Panthers cruised to the NFC Championship Game without breaking a sweat.
The Panthers’ offense kept rolling in the second half, however, adding 25 more points – including a two-point conversion after their second-to-last touchdown. Outside of his all-pro tight end – Greg Olsen, who had 77 catches for 1,104 yards – Newton didn’t have a single receiver with 45 catches or 750 yards.
When Newton flew into the end zone for a 12-yard third-quarter touchdown, he posed like a superhero, did the “dab” in celebration and pointed the Panthers toward Super Bowl 50.
The Panthers played against Manning thee times when he was with Indianapolis and won two of those games.
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He finished 23 for 40 for 235 yards with one touchdown, throwing a late pick-six to Luke Kuechly followed by another interception as the game turned into a rout. But Johnson couldn’t drag him down, spring Brown free for an 86-yard touchdown that pushed Carolina’s lead to 17-0.
