Panthers, Cardinals to vie for NFC Title

The Carolina Panthers took a stab at Rainn Wilson, who plays Dwight K. Schrute on “The Office”, after defeating the Seattle Seahawks 31-24 on Sunday.

Cam Newton said it felt like the Carolina Panthers players, coaches and fans were all getting a little tight in the second half of their NFC divisional playoff win Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks.

Carolina Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart (28) scores on a 1 yard touchdown carry over Seattle Seahawks middle linebacker Bobby Wagner (54) and Brock Coyle (52) during the second quarter in a NFC Divisional round playoff game at Bank of America Stadium. Newton threw for a touchdown and fellow All-Pro Luke Kuechly ran in an early interception for a score as Carolina built a 31-0 lead.

The Seahawks mounted a comeback as Russell Wilson finally found his range in the third quarter with touchdown throws to wide receivers Jermaine Kearse and Tyler Lockett.

Finnegan’s pick set up Graham Gano’s 48-yard field goal and a 24-0 lead.

But that ended the onslaught, and the Seahawks who returned for the second half were an entirely different team, energetic and efficient.

With a chance to pull closer, Seattle pulled off a fake punt and moved into Carolina territory before a sack of Wilson thwarted the threat.

Offensively, they’ve scored 30 or more points eight times while failing to score at least 20 only in the game at Atlanta.

“Like the Arizona win (in the regular-season finale), like this game, we know what the truth is, we know what we’re capable of doing, but we got it messed up yesterday”, he said. Seattle hadn’t allowed a 100-yard rusher in 27 games…. Three plays later, he scored from 4 yards out.

Kuechly was far more alert, grabbing the interception and sprinting 14 yards to make it 14-0 only 3 1/2 minutes in.

His return from a foot injury that cost him three games was far more distinguished than Marshawn Lynch’s comeback from a two-month absence (abdominal surgery). He had six carries for 20 yards and two catches for 15 yards. “You are up 31-0 and you don’t want to give them life or give them a spark”.

It’s the Panthers first time to host. The Cardinals won the 2008 NFC Championship game.