The Cardinals won a Divisional round game after the 2008 season on their way to Super Bowl XLIII and then the Panthers defeated Arizona in the Wild Card round previous year. Palmer was sacked three times and pressured often as his offensive line struggled to slow the Green Bay pass rush, making Palmer uncomfortable in the pocket.
Advertisement
Palmer’s stats last week were consistent with the numbers he put up in the regular season. Not only did he miss plays that were there to be made for the Cardinals, he threw some passes that could have been intercepted.
But this year, Carson Palmer has stayed healthy and has helped turn the Cardinals into the top-ranked offense in the league.
The Carolina Panthers aren’t concerned about wintry conditions playing a factor for Sunday night’s NFC championship game against the Arizona Cardinals.
Head coach Bruce Arians believes the nervousness that Palmer and the Cardinals felt was about getting a postseason win, and now that they have achieved that, the quarterback will return to his usual high standard.
The Panthers are three-point favourites going into the game but that’s just home field advantage.
“This is why you play football”, he said. “Whatever team he goes to, I hope it’s in the AFC, so we don’t have to deal with him”.
The stakes are as high as they’ve ever been for a game at Bank of America Stadium, but you wouldn’t know it by Carolina’s demeanor.
Last week against the Seattle Seahawks, Carolina pounced early, as they took a commanding 31-0 lead.
Regardless, this group finished second in scoring at 30.6 points a game, and they’ll be looking for bounce-back game against Carolina.
While they were never in danger of losing the lead or the game, it was a bit too close for comfort. Carolina went 3-and-out and it started to look a little like the Seattle game where the Panthers let the Seahawks climb back into the game, but Palmer settled any of those concerns with another interception in the end zone to safety Kurt Coleman. Newton, the All-Pro QB, threw for 35 touchdowns and ran for 10, an unprecedented number for the position.
At quarterback, big, strong and fast Cam Newton has arrived as a top-flight star, knowledgeable passer and recognized team leader. Against all reason, they have a better overall record and have scored more points away from home that at University of Phoenix Stadium this season. “He relies on what he’s learned and what he takes from all the meetings and the film study. T.D.?” The Panthers ran for 144 yards against a very tough Seattle defense.
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.
As a Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals fan since they arrived in the Valley in 1988, it’s often hard to navigate through the thick fog of my own bias and make these predictions based purely on facts and reason.
Advertisement
Panthers quarterback Cam Newton will be this year’s NFL MVP – and while he may not be the best all-around quarterback in the league, he is, without a doubt, the scariest.
