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NFC Championship Odds: Cardinals vs. Panthers Predictions

by —January 21, 2016 in All Sports, NFL

Cardinals vs. Panthers BettingArizona Cardinals vs. Carolina Panthers Preview

Kick-Off: Sunday, January 24th 2016 at 6:40pm ET
Venue: Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC
TV: FOX

Just like in the AFC, the two teams with first round playoff byes advanced to the NFC Championship Game. The Carolina Panthers let off the gas pedal in the 2H, but the Seahawks (31-24). The Arizona Cardinals needed overtime to eliminate the Packers (26-20) – looking shaky in the process.

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Cardinals vs. Panthers money line, point spread and over/under odds

The public and sharps have been betting on the Panthers to cover the point spread and win SU. That’s not surprising, as Carolina has found a way to win every game this season except one. Arizona are experienced, though, but Carolina proved with the win against Seattle they aren’t going to be intimidated by any team in the NFC, even with the high-stakes playoff atmosphere.

Stats pack

We have the two highest scoring teams in the NFL, but both teams boast a top 10 defense as well. Something will have to give in this match-up. Will Carson Palmer and Cam Newton end up in an offensive shootout or will the defenses set the tone? Both offense have banged up RBs, but Jonathan Stewart looked great against Seattle, rushing for 106 yards and 2 TDs on 19 carries.

Cardinals vs. Panthers playoff picks

Newton has limited weapons in the pass game. Ted Ginn Jr. played last week after being injured, but he only seen one target and he didn’t catch the football. Without Ginn Jr. stretching the field, it’s unlikely Newton will air it out against the Cardinals. Newton only had 160 passing yards and 1 TD against Seattle. Greg Olsen led the way with 6 receptions for 77 yards and 1 TD.

With that being said, Stewart will likely be fed the football often, especially if Carolina has the lead. Stewart averaged 5.6 yards per rushing attempt against a tough Seahawks run defense, so he should have success against Arizona. Carolina have a great o-line and they’ll ensure Stewart can find some holes. The game plan for Carolina will be to grind out small gains, while chewing up clock.

Arizona will rely on Palmer and the pass game to beat the Panthers. David Johnson is banged up at RB and he only gained 35 yards on 15 carries against the Packers. Carolina are ranked in the top 5 in rushing defense, so Arizona is going to attempt to beat them through the air. Luke Kuechly and the rest of the LBs will be required to drop back and defend against the pass.

Larry Fitzgerald is coming off of a great outing. He hauled in 8 receptions for 176 yards and 1 TD, including a 75-yard catch to start OT. John Brown and Johnson combined for 11 catches for 125 yards. Michael Floyd only had 3 receptions, but two of those were good for TDs. Palmer had 349 yards and 3 TDs against GB, but he also threw two interceptions.

These teams last played each other in last year’s wild card round. Carolina won 27-16, but Arizona had Ryan Lindley at QB, due to an injury to Palmer. Carolina’s Stewart rushed 24 times for 123 yards and 1 TD. I expect a similar result, despite Palmer playing in this game. Carolina’s defense can frustrate offenses, which was evident in the opening half against Russell Wilson and Seattle.

ScottThis article was written by Scott

Scott is one of the original degenerates working for MobileSportsBetting.com. Although he's most successful betting on NFL football and international soccer, he's also active in UFC and NHL hockey betting.


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