And his Carolina Panthers are headed for the big game.
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GAME CHANGERS: Several other players who could be the catalyst to their team getting to the Super Bowl: TE Greg Olsen, DT Kawaan Short and S Kurt Coleman for Carolina; WRs Michael Floyd and John Brown, S Rashad Jefferson and DE-LB Dwight Freeney for Arizona.
Newton enters his first NFC title game with thoughts of keeping his foot on the gas.
The Broncos were a top-10 defensive team, ranking first, while the Patriots were a top-10 team on offense at fifth.
Carolina opened as a 4-point favorite with most bookmakers. Newton hit four passes for 35 yards on their opening drive and Graham Gano hit from 45 yards for a 3-0 lead.
The Carolina secondary had some struggles last Sunday, particularly as the Seahawks attempted to mount a second half comeback.
Ginn caught two passes for 52 yards and set up his own electrifying 22-yard touchdown run with a nifty 32-yard punt return.
When your first play from scrimmage goes for a 59-yard gain on the ground, you can be confident you’re going to have a good day at the office. The Seahawks limited Newton’s running in the contest holding the quarterback to three yards on 11 carries but Newton didn’t have to be Superman against Seattle. Panthers coach Ron Rivera said there is little the team can glean from that game since Palmer was out with a torn ACL.
It will be only the second Super Bowl appearance for the Panthers in the team’s 21-season history.
But Newton has proved time and again – in the national championship game at Auburn, Sunday against the overmatched Cardinals – he’s at his best in a big game.
Via Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic, Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer is withdrawing from the all-star game, saying he wanted to let his hand heal up.
The Panthers were second only to the Buffalo Bills in averaging 142.6 yards during the regular season. “It’s not over, yet”, Newton said on a stage at Bank of America Stadium while the crowd serenaded him with “MVP!” chants. “I’ve been playing football too long for me to get nervous”. “He’s got playmakers at all the positions”.
Panthers wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery said Ginn didn’t talk much about retribution during the week, but he could tell his buddy was ready to play. “I have dreamed of being in this position”. A winter snow storm struck the East Coast Friday and Saturday but Arizona was able to safely get to Charlotte Saturday afternoon. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:40 p.m. winner, er, Arizona time. This won’t change the Panthers’ likely game-plan to run the ball.
The Cardinals’ focus will be on stopping Newton, the most dynamic player in the league. Head coach Bruce Arians wasn’t afraid to call it like he saw it afterward.
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“I think the playoffs, at this time of year, you have to expect some weather”, Arians said in an NFL.com article.
