Including last week’s playoffs, the Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals have combined to win 30 out of 34 games this season. How will the NFC’s top seed handle one of the more explosive teams in the league?
The Carolina Panthers are enjoying a snow day as winter batters the East Coast. But, it’s back to business on Sunday as the Arizona Cardinals come to Charlotte to play for the NFC Championship. Many NFL experts are picking the Cardinals to end the Panthers’ surprising season, but this is a challenging game for both organizations. Carolina has the ability to mimic the performances of the three teams to defeat the Cardinals this year.
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The Cardinals put together an impressive record of 13-3 during their 2015 campaign. In those three games in which the Cardinals were defeated, one key stat stands out: their opponents dominated the game through the run game.
The Pittsburgh Steelers, Seattle Seahawks and St. Louis Rams were each able to control the clock with consistent running throughout the game. In these three games the Cardinals gave up an average of 150 yards per outing, which is nearly double the 91.3 yards per game they gave up throughout the entire year.
What does this mean for the Panthers? As with every other game this year, running is their key to victory. The Panthers are among the best in the league when it comes to rushing the ball this year. Their average of 142.6 yards per game is built upon their ability to move the ball with Jonathan Stewart, Cam Newton, Mike Tolbert and a committee of other names. When coupled with their offensive line, the Panthers power through games with long drives based on frequent running.
This is especially important during the second half of the football game. In each of these games, the Cardinals were outscored during the second half of play. Carolina, on the other hand, consistently allows for their opponents to get back into the game in the third and fourth quarters, after getting off to a blazing start. For example, the Seattle Seahawks scored 24 unanswered points last week to surprise Carolina in Bank of America Stadium. This cannot be the case in the NFC Championship game.
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The first drives of the Carolina offense are imperative to watch. If this unit can drive down the field and score quickly and often in the opening quarter, it will be compelling to see how the Cardinals are forced to adjust defensively and how Carolina responds throughout the game. The expectation should be to see a continuous stream of rushing plays, coupled with mid-range passing; which has been another effective weapon throughout this year.
Carolina’s running attack has been the catalyst for the success the team has experienced this year. Even though Cam Newton has come into his own as a franchise quarterback; his ability to run the ball, along with a healthy Stewart and their reliable offensive line are all valuable parts to the equation. The Panthers’ streak of games with at least 100 yards rushing dates back to October 5, 2014, a pretty impressive statistic to say the least.
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Adding another big game on the ground is the first step that the Panthers’ must take in order to reach the Super Bowl for the second time in team history.