NFL GDT: NFC Championship Game: (1) Carolina Panthers vs (2) Arizona Cardinals

[What the Faulk]

IIRC Sherman was mostly on Brown or whoever lined up on the near side of the field (he doesn't shadow nearly as much as Peterson/Norman). Ginn usually plays on the far side. I think they just didn't try too many game breaking passes, but we'll see how he's listed on the injury report today.

I'm not terribly afraid of Arizona's front 7. They were pretty miserable getting to Rodgers, and Carolina's guards are actually a strength. I don't recall a game where Cam was constantly under pressure since Tennessee, and that's mostly because for whatever reason they couldn't pick up a blitz that day, but that seems to have been an anomaly. The biggest matchup to watch is Fitzgerald on Finnegan, and Brown on McClain. Both got abused down the stretch against Seattle when Wilson wasn't getting pressured. That's why the status of Allen is so big. He helps keep a healthy rotation on the defensive line, and if you get in Palmer's face, he's capable of throwing up prayers. That OT pass to Fitzgerald very easily could have been taken the other way had GB not abandoned coverage. Luckily, Arizona's offensive line isn't that good so Short/Star/Edwards/Love/CJ/Ealy/Addison/Horton might be enough.

 

[What the Faulk]

I'll take another one of these please:



(To Ginn/Brown instead of 89 obviously)

 

[Summer Rose]

Heart says Cardinals (of course, I'm a Cardinals fan), but head says Panthers.

Probably about a 2-possession win, i.e. 9-16 points. If we lose I hope it's not close though, I don't want to live with the heartbreak of losing on the last possession of the game. That would absolutely kill me emotionally.

 

[The Drop]

I think Panthers roll the Cards. Similar to what Seattle did to them a few weeks back.

Question for Panther fans.

Would Steve Smith have been a distraction on the Panthers? Always liked the guy

 

[BGDDYKWL]

Palmer looked TERRIBLE last week. That worries me. GB put 8 in the box and dared Palmer to throw and he still was bad. If AZ can't establish the run I think they'll be in trouble. Ginn should be easy enough to stop, and my guess is Stewart will be hobbled, but the Cards still can't stop TEs so Olsen will have a field day. No honey badger REALLY hurts in this one.

 

[bWo*]

Is it just me or is cams throwing motion unorthodox? The dude slings it but the motion is wierd

 

[aleshemsky83]

Looks alright to me, but the only qb whose motion I notice is Rivers and Tebow.

Other than that I dont really have an eye for that stuff

 

[What the Faulk]

I think Panthers roll the Cards. Similar to what Seattle did to them a few weeks back.

Question for Panther fans.

Would Steve Smith have been a distraction on the Panthers? Always liked the guy

Trust me, a lot of Panther fans still like him too and wish he was around for this. I don't think he was a distraction, but I'm not in that locker room. Everything I've heard and seen said he was well liked by his teammates though, including Cam. And with Rivera very open about letting players do their thing (Norman, for example), I can't imagine he fell out of favor with the coaches. I'm not sure why Gettleman decided that the "leadership torch" needed to pass from Smith to Cam, but this is one move that I will never agree with, Super Bowl or not.

 

[Unsustainable]

I'll take another one of these please:



(To Ginn/Brown instead of 89 obviously)

Funchess

 

[Unsustainable]

Trust me, a lot of Panther fans still like him too and wish he was around for this. I don't think he was a distraction, but I'm not in that locker room. Everything I've heard and seen said he was well liked by his teammates though, including Cam. And with Rivera very open about letting players do their thing (Norman, for example), I can't imagine he fell out of favor with the coaches. I'm not sure why Gettleman decided that the "leadership torch" needed to pass from Smith to Cam, but this is one move that I will never agree with, Super Bowl or not.

I was rough on Gettleman, but now I'm not, he built a heck of a football team and set up the cap to roll big contracts to keep the talent.

 

[InjuredChoker]

Carolina has a surprisingly good offensive line.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2015/11/04/ranking-all-32-nfl-offensive-lines-entering-week-9/

Has them at 4 (the midway point of the season).

https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2016/01/20/pro-ranking-all-32-offensive-lines-this-season/

and 2nd at the end of it. by far the best of all teams left.

 

[Unsustainable]

Weather is ass tomorrow and Saturday but will clear up Saturday evening, calling for an inch of ice. Possibly, so the field is going to be tricky, which is an advantage to the Panthers.

 

[Novacane]

It's gonna be pretty cold too going into the evening. Gonna be pretty tough even if the field holds up.

 

[What the Faulk]

Jared Allen is out. Damn

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/nfl/carolina-panthers/article56047020.html

 

[Unsustainable]

 

[Blitzkrug]

The last thing Arizona needs on top of being a west coast, dome team travelling east is to play that game in the snow.

Could be a bit of an advantage for Carolina, though i imagine they don't have much experience playing in the snow either.

 

[Unsustainable]

The last thing Arizona needs on top of being a west coast, dome team travelling east is to play that game in the snow.

Could be a bit of an advantage for Carolina, though i imagine they don't have much experience playing in the snow either.

It will gone by the time the game comes, but the field will be ass, which is a home field advantage.

 

[Blitzkrug]

That snow will be gone, yes, but that storm is supposed to carry into sunday afternoon.

No bueno if you're a Cards fan imo.

 

[Stats01]

gotta take Carolina. I can't see anyone stopping them, Cam has been in beast mode all year. Guy has finally arrived,

Someone mentioned Cam's unorthodox throwing motion..my thoughts are that he's just so freaking massive that he has to throw that way so he doesn't air mail his throws all the time. Have you seen his hands? They're huge, the football looks nerf size.

 

[Gene Parmesan]

That's not it at all. He keeps the ball high and doesn't drop his elbow, just like you're taught. His footwork is pretty sloppy and he tends to narrow his base. That's why misses high or grounds one from time to time.

 

[Summer Rose]

It's gonna be pretty cold too going into the evening. Gonna be pretty tough even if the field holds up.

There is no such thing as home advantage in any sport.

 

[IU Hawks fan]

At least they got the tarp down.

 

[JRull86]

Carolinas dream season falls short. Arizona played horrible last week and still found a way to win when it mattered. As opposed to Carolina letting Seattle back in the game.

Close game, but I think Arizona prevsils, 27-24

 

[What the Faulk]

Carolinas dream season falls short. Arizona played horrible last week and still found a way to win when it mattered. As opposed to Carolina letting Seattle back in the game.

Close game, but I think Arizona prevsils, 27-24

It's fine to pick Arizona, but this is the **** that bothers me. How the **** are these two any different

 

[Tuggy]

I'm gonna go with Arizona but I'm not sure how confident I am in that pick. They cannot turn the ball over.