Panthers win 49-15, Carolina advances to Superbowl 50

– Peyton Manning, Broncos, threw for 176 yards and two touchdowns on 17-of-32 passing in Denver’s 20-18 victory over Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in the AFC championship game. Denver faces an even more daunting challenge than dethroning the defending champions: a February 7 date with the NFL’s most impressive team this season.

When Newton and Palmer play Sunday, it will be the first time Heisman-winning quarterbacks have faced each other in an National Football League postseason game. “We are not going just to take pictures”, Cam Newton said Sunday after leading the Carolina Panthers into the big game with a 49-15 rout of Arizona for the NFC championship.

Newton indicated the Panthers won’t be going to northern California to hang out with Steph Curry or take a trip to wine country.

Palmer is well aware that he carries the reputation as a quarterback who can’t win the big game. Against Arizona, the Panthers forced quarterback Carson Palmer into six turnovers. “We’ll get it figured out, and I’ll be ready in two weeks”. “We understand the moment and the moment is not too big for the guys in this locker room”.

The Panthers (17-1) have written quite a story so far. Denver, of course, has made a habit of going to Super Bowls, reaching it for a record-tying eighth time. It was Seattle’s Russell Wilson two years ago, Carolina’s Newton this time.

CAM OF STEEL: Newton’s superhero image was enhanced by yet another fabulous performance. In 2015, he passed and rushed for fewer yards than he had in his rookie season, yet still piloted an offense that leaped from NFL mediocrity (21.2 points per game in 2014) to a league-best 31.3 points per game.

“It was a hard decision but I did what I thought was right for us”, Rivera said.

Cam Newton connected with Devin Funchess for a touchdown with just over five minutes to play in the fourth quarter and the Panthers added a two-point conversion to give them a commanding 42-15 lead over the Arizona Cardinals. “You’ve got to look back and there were a lot of positive things, but we’re not about that”.

While the Panthers offense is a concern of Kubiak’s, he knows their defense is nothing to overlook, per Wolfe.

An Arizona newspaper, the Phoenix New Times recently posted an article with 10 reasons to hate the Carolina Panthers. Kony Ealy and Mario Addison and A.J. Klein and Tre Boston stepped right up and did their jobs. They played his Raiders in 2012 and gave him the walloping that should have been expected (34-10; Palmer sacked four times). However, injuries have made the Panthers thin behind Norman, and the Cardinals have a very deep wideout group, with Larry Fitzgerald, Michael Floyd, and John Brown. “He overthrew him and Patrick Peterson had an opportunity to return it. Low and behold Ted Ginn Jr. caught him from behind”.

The Patriots, however, would not quit and with 12 seconds left Brady hit Rob Gronkowski with a four-yard touchdown pass. “I see you out there”.

Ginn said he left Carolina after the 2013 season to “chase a check”, but was seldom used in Arizona last season. “We’re not like a bunch of these other teams – we play as a team”. Like his teammate, Ward will not let the injury keep him from playing in the Super Bowl.

“This is as low as you can feel”, Palmer said. I’m telling you with all that defense on the football field, this will still be a high scoring affair. “To leave the way we’re leaving, it just hurts”.

No matter. He has the Panthers in position for their first Super Bowl title.