Panthers Vs Cardinals: NFC Championship Game

The 16-1 Carolina Panthers are at home against the 14-3 Arizona Cardinals today.  Kickoff time for the NFC Championship Game is 6:40 PM ET and will be carried on FOX.

With home field advantage, a fan base that is rabid and aching for a chance at a second appearance in a Super Bowl, the return of running back Jonathan Stewart and frontrunner for the 2015 NFL MVP award QB Cam Newton at the helm, many are expecting a smashmouth game.

To say that Carolina is riding high with such a superb season thusfar would be an understatement.  The Panthers Nation is CRAY-CRAY with excitement.

Today’s game will be the team’s fourth trip to the NFC Championship and their first time to host the game.  It also represents the first time two Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks face off in a playoff game.

Fans are heartened by the fact that many like ESPN’s David Purdum favor the Panthers over the Cardinals.  Vegas oddsmakers are likewise picking Denver to fall to the Patriots.

If the “sports experts” are right that would set the stage for a rematch grudge match between the Cats and the Pats from Super Bowl XXXVIII.  Don’t remember that one?  Let me help you out.  That’s the one that had the controversial half-time show in which Janet Jackson had a “wardrobe malfunction” and her breast was ever so briefly exposed.

GO PANTHERS!

And since no football post would be complete without some pom-poms, please enjoy some of the lovely Top Cats cheerleaders.

NFL Wildcard Weekend: Carolina Panthers Vs Arizona Cardinals

This is Wildcard Weekend and the 10-6 Baltimore Ravens meet the 11-5 Pittsburgh Steelers.  Kickoff is 8:15 PM ET on NBC tonight.  On Sunday, the 10-5-1 Bengals take on the 11-5 Colts at 1:05 PM ET on CBS followed by the 11-5 Detroit Lions doing battle with the 12-4 Dallas Cowboys at 4:40 PM ET on FOX.  (Think anyone might stomp on Ndamukong Suh’s legs?)

The 7-8-1 Carolina Panthers host the 11-5 Arizona Cardinals in the Bank of America Stadium today.  The NFC South Division is pathetic.  The Saints finished their season at 7-9, the Falcons at 6-10 and the Bucs at 2-14. 

The Panthers have won their last four games to teams without a winning season. The Cardinals have lost four of their last six.  Most coaches would prefer the Panthers' last month of the regular season to that of the Cardinals'.  The Cats have been handed a tremendous break.  I hope they take advantage of it.

Five of the seven USA Today sportswriters are predicting a Panthers win.  I don’t see it.  If they’re basing their prediction on Arizona’s QB problems, then I can counter that with the problems the Panthers organization has had with an arrogant, overrated Newton and his favorite target Kelvin Benjamin who drops way too many passes.

Panthers fans haven’t seen a playoff game in nine years and today will be cold and wet and nasty.  If the Panthers do win today, it looks like they’ll face the Packers, a team I have rooted for all my life going back to the days when Bart Starr was their quarterback.

GO PANTHERS!

And because no football post would be complete with some pom-poms, here’s a photo of some luscious Top Cat lovelies cheering for the home team.

Falcons Will Run “Afowl” Of The Panthers

The 4-11 Atlanta Falcons go up against the 11-4 Carolina Panthers today at 1:00 PM in the Georgia Dome.  Atlanta has nothing to gain in today’s game.  Their season is shot.  They’ll be playing for pride’s sake.

The Panthers meanwhile, will try to grab the NFC South crown and a shot at the No. 1 seed in the playoffs.  A Panthers victory will garner a first-round bye giving receiver Steve Smith time to heal his sprained PCL after last Sunday’s game.

If the Falcons win—perish the thought—the Saints can claim the NFC South crown by beating Tampa Bay.

Blogger buddies Proof, Odie and Stogie are rooting for San Francisco to defeat the Cardinals in their afternoon game.  A win combined with St. Louis whipping the Seahawks would secure a third straight NFC West title for the Niners.

Since the oddsmakers are taking the Panthers over the Falcons and honestly, who wouldn’t, it’s unlikely that Carolina will lose to the Falcons so the Niners can forget about home field advantage for the playoffs.