Panthers’ Ted Ginn Jr. comes up big vs. former team

And he’s hardly a one-man wrecking crew. And they’re proving faster workers than mailmen before a long weekend.

Carolina came out strong, taking a 24-7 halftime lead on the Arizona Cardinals, playing well on borth offense and defense.

Take a moment to digest that. Carolina is favored by four points. Carolina merely answered with another long drive, gashing the Cardinals’ once-proud defence through the air and on the ground. 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.

The Panthers hit you with the league’s most creative rushing attack, featuring Newton, tailback Jonathan Stewart and fullback Mike Tolbert. Peterson somehwat atoned for the error by returning an interception 72 yards right before intermission, but Palmer was picked off in the end zone on the next play and No. 2 Arizona never threatened again.

Palmer threw his fourth interception to Tre Boston – and committed his six turnover – with 4:30 remaining.

“For it to come down to a two-point conversion obviously is a tough way to finish the season”, offered a dejected Brady after the game.

“I can’t really describe the feeling when my coach is yelling at me and I’m laughing because I’m having so much fun”, said Coleman, who added four tackles.

Said Rivera: “They are going to evaluate his arm”.

Carolina Panthers’ Ted Ginn gets past Arizona Cardinals’ Justin Bethel for a touchdown run during the first half the NFL football NFC Championship game Sunday, Jan. 24, 2016, in Charlotte, N.C. Against Arizona, Carolina posted a pair of sacks and six hurries against Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer.

The Panthers (16-1) have scored on their first three possessions after scoring on their first five possessions last week against the Seattle Seahawks. Patrick Peterson fumbled a punt return in the second quarter for Arizona’s other giveaway.

Newton set up the score with an 11-yard run for a first down in which he dived for a first down and then spiked the ball as Superman music played in the background. Cam Newton has had one of the best years of any quarterback in the National Football League by not only throwing the ball better than ever, but by running the ball and putting the entire team on his back to carry them to victories. Ginn dashed toward the left sideline, but cut back at the 10 and swung all the way to the right sideline, evading all Cardinals tacklers along the way and crossed the goal line with a Newton escort.

Aside from the upcoming draft in late April, where the Cardinals will have the 29th overall pick, free agency gets underway on March 15, and Arizona has a lot on its plate.

Newton beat a blitz and fired over the middle for Brown, who caught the ball near midfield, eluded a tackle from safety Rashad Johnson and raced the final 50 yards to the end zone.