Panthers Cardinals OMG!!

[Hawktawk]

That debacle set the game of football back to the leather helmet era. That AZ could be that inept in all 3 phases and still have a chance tells me something about the level of competition. I feel sorry for Larry Fitzgerald having to be on the same field as Ryan Lindley, the worst playoff QB I have ever seen.
So much for "Gramps" Arians the QB whisperer.......PFFFFT!!

[burrrton]

Yeah, CAR did what they had to do, but wow- neither team looked like they belonged anywhere near the playoffs.

ARI can blame injuries to a high degree, but still. If CAR comes up here next week, you better get be ready to say "I'll give you Carolina and 40 points" to get anyone to bet you.

[jshawaii22]

Uh... 80 yards given up by a "D".. .I don't care who they were playing, that's scary. Don't underestimate the boys from Carolina. If the seeds hold, and Carolina is heading to C-Link, I see them potentially shutting down Marshawn and putting the game on the back of Russell, and the game will be in the mid teens -- 17-10, or something. NO blowout here. Carolina has been on the same type of roll that Seattle is on. Second best scoring against average in the month of December. Forget the record, as we did when Seattle was 3-3. They are better then 8-9.

You can also throw out any advantage either team will have with the 'read option' as both teams use it and both teams practice against it each week. It's going to be the passing of Cam vs the passing of RW to put points on the boards.


js

[Zorn76]

Lindley is That Bad.

Had way more to do with it than the Panthers having that kind of shutdown defense, IMO, and the Cards didn't have anybody who could run worth a damn, lol. Carolina's punt returner had an interesting day, too. Wonder if they'll still put him back there. Turnovers will kill this team, and I suspect we're gonna get at leat 2 on Saturday. Even if we don't, we still take this thing.

No cakewalk, but the Seahawks will still win by 10+ pts. Slow, methodical beatdown.

Newton's accuracy - or lack thereof - is gonna cost him dearly vs our defense. We also have the speed to contain him if he decides to run. Stewart is a decent RB, and they they have a couple of good WR's, but none of these present matchup problems for Seattle. Again, some good defensive players, but this is still our game.

I give Carolina credit for winning yesterday, but The Clink is a whole different ballgame.

*Seahawks, 27-13.

*This is assuming the Cowboys beat the Lions, which they should.

[PasadenaHawk]

I was embarrassed for Az. That was bad. Carolina offense was bad too. Cam Newton will need to play much better against us.

[burrrton]

Lindley is That Bad.

Had way more to do with it than the Panthers having that kind of shutdown defense, IMO

This. I'm not going to say "doesn't count", but if you watched the game, you saw an offense (for ARI) that couldn't have done anything against any Pop Warner team in this state.

And yeah, I don't want my team underestimating them (and they won't), but Carolina didn't look much better.

I guess we'll see if CAR can get a different team to show up next week.

[Anthony]

Uh... 80 yards given up by a "D".. .I don't care who they were playing, that's scary. Don't underestimate the boys from Carolina. If the seeds hold, and Carolina is heading to C-Link, I see them potentially shutting down Marshawn and putting the game on the back of Russell, and the game will be in the mid teens -- 17-10, or something. NO blowout here. Carolina has been on the same type of roll that Seattle is on. Second best scoring against average in the month of December. Forget the record, as we did when Seattle was 3-3. They are better then 8-9.

You can also throw out any advantage either team will have with the 'read option' as both teams use it and both teams practice against it each week. It's going to be the passing of Cam vs the passing of RW to put points on the boards.


js

That could be true and if it comes to that with equal talent I would say we win. However form a WR standpoint we might be equal, Their Te is better than ours. All that said I still think we win. You need to also remember our D is better in the pass game than theirs is.

[Hawktawk]

If it comes down to scam Newton vs Russell Wilson I like our odds....

[monkey]

I like our odds no matter who we play this round, though unfortunately it is beginning to look like it will be the worst possible first round match up, Detroit. Obviously Carolina would be easier...oh well, we'll tear up Detroit if they come here just as easily.

[Futureite]

Lindley is That Bad.

Had way more to do with it than the Panthers having that kind of shutdown defense, IMO, and the Cards didn't have anybody who could run worth a damn, lol. Carolina's punt returner had an interesting day, too. Wonder if they'll still put him back there. Turnovers will kill this team, and I suspect we're gonna get at leat 2 on Saturday. Even if we don't, we still take this thing.

No cakewalk, but the Seahawks will still win by 10+ pts. Slow, methodical beatdown.

Newton's accuracy - or lack thereof - is gonna cost him dearly vs our defense. We also have the speed to contain him if he decides to run. Stewart is a decent RB, and they they have a couple of good WR's, but none of these present matchup problems for Seattle. Again, some good defensive players, but this is still our game.

I give Carolina credit for winning yesterday, but The Clink is a whole different ballgame.

*Seahawks, 27-13.

*This is assuming the Cowboys beat the Lions, which they should.

Cmonan when the Hawks play the Cards and do that to them (or our terrible O for that matter) people talk about a "great" D, but when Panthers do it Lindley is aweful? I think it's a little of both. Hawks and Panthers have had 3 close, close battles the last couple yrs. Panthers actually match up very well with Hawks but have a lesser QB in Newton.

I agree with your score though. I think more along the lines of Seattle 20 Carolina 12.

[Zorn76]

What happened yesterday was the same thing we did - the Panthers did what they were supposed to do to a poor Cards offense.

And I hope you get your wish.

We will beat Dallas if they come here, by 10+.

Book it.

[Futureite]

What happened yesterday was the same thing we did - the Panthers did what they were supposed to do to a poor Cards offense.

And I hope you get your wish.

We will beat Dallas if they come here, by 10+.

Book it.

I hope to see that matchup. It is probably the most compelling one left. I hate to say it but I think Dallas has somethung special going this yr. Their D looks terrible on paper and in the stalines but everytime I watch them they are flying around. Would be a hell of a game if it happens.

[Zorn76]

Well, they barely survived. And against a Lions team that is, at the end of the day, a paper tiger.
Detroit really should've won, but they choked, as is their history.

The Packers are more clutch then the Cowboys, and that's why they will beat them by double digits next week.

[PasadenaHawk]

I hope you are right about Packers beating the Cowboys. I don't see it as a given. I think it is about as 50/50 as a game can be had. Still, I like our chances against GB at home more than against the Cowboys.

[Hawktawk]

The Packers are an 0 fer in their last few home playoff games. Other than their SB year they have been rather dismal at home in the postseason the past few years. The Cowboys are unbeaten on the road and they clearly have Goodells and Blandinos favor. They may well beat the Packers, perhaps badly.

[obiken]

I am the resident pessimist on this site, but I think we beat the Panthers like cheap Piñata. To beat Seattle's defense you have to be able to audible, no way does Fig Bar audible at the Clink in a Playoff game, way too much noise.

Boys vs. Lambo, I think the Pack win, barely. We have the best road to the corral, IF Dallas gets to the SB, they earned it, as much as I hate Jones and the Cowboys both. In the end we get a cupcake, and the Pack vs Dallas is going to be brutal I think we are there.

[NorthHawk]

The Panthers have been playing pretty good Defense of late and the old saying that Defense travels will be put to the test.
Given our OL, I think we will have some problems with them and wouldn't be surprised to see only 1 TD in the game like 16-9.
In that case, it's whoever makes the big play or big mistake that will determine the winner. I just hope it's not the Refereeing that determines the outcome.

[MackStrongIsMyHero]

We've seen what the Panther's front seven does to our o-line. We obviously struggle, but what they bring is nothing new to this team. They've taken it on 3 times in Charlotte and come away with a win every time. Also, as pointed out by Terry Blount on ESPN.com, the Panthers ended the season on a 4-game win streak, but that has come against teams with a combined record of 22-42, and they beat a Lindley-led Cardinals team in Charlotte in the wildcard round. The Seahawks know the stakes, and they aren't overlooking the Panthers nor are they afraid of them (not that anyone is claiming this, I just like to overstate the obvious). Maybe the Panthers get up and play the game of their lives, but I don't know if even that will be enough.

[monkey]

I hope you are right about Packers beating the Cowboys. I don't see it as a given. I think it is about as 50/50 as a game can be had. Still, I like our chances against GB at home more than against the Cowboys.

You should, we match up extremely well with the Packers, not as well with Dallas, because Dallas' offensive line powers an effective running game.
I've said it repeatedly but if you want to beat the Seahawks, you HAVE to run the ball. That's how the Rams get to us, that's how the Niners beat us back when they used to before Gore's wheels got old, etc...
Eddy Lacy is a decent back, but he's too slow, and against our fast AND physical defense, he's not much of a problem, compared to other backs around the league, especially when you factor in their pass blocking first offensive line, which is pretty sub par run blocking, (unlike the Cowboys line which is AWESOME run blocking!)

[RiverDog]

I'm really not into this playoff opponent toughness stuff. It doesn't matter to me who advances. If we are the best team in football, then we should be able to beat anyone, especially when we're at home, so what difference does it make whether we're playing Carolina, Green Bay, or Dallas?

[jshawaii22]

Speaking of the GB - Dallas game. When the NFL has two of their 'prize' QB's playing, who do the Refs cheat to?

js

[Hawktawk]

I think they want Dallas. Otherwise Suh would have received a death sentence for stepping on his royal highness AR.The Detroit game told me they didn't want Dallas losing that one. It really doesn't matter, I think this is a better match up for Dallas than Detroit was on paper. The defense isn't nearly as good as Detroit. Not to mention the Boys just dont lose on the road while GB hasn't defended the home turf very well in the postseason.And Rodgers isn't practicing due to his calf injury. If he loses 10 %of his mobility hes in for a long day.

If Seattle doesn't somehow trip or get tripped this weekend they are playing the Cowboys in a Clink rematch for the NFC title.Book it...