The last time the Carolina Panthers won a playoff game was January 15, 2006 when they beat the Chicago Bears in the NFC Divisional Playoff round. That was nine long years ago. But today, the Panthers ended that hiatus with a 27-16 victory over the Arizona Cardinals in the Wild Card round of the NFC Playoffs.
The Panthers held the Cardinals offense to just 78 yards total offense, which included 31 yards lost from 4 sacks provided by Panther defensive linemen Charles Johnson (2) and 1 apiece from Kawann Short and Dwan Edwards.
The Panthers didn’t need a stellar game from their offense, and they didn’t get one. But the in the second half their running game and passing game provided the right amount of yards and big plays to help them punch their ticket to the NFC Divisional Playoffs.
Often injured and the often underachieving running back Jonathan Stewart came through today for the Panthers (8-8-1) as he carried 24 times for 123 yards and 1 score, which included a huge 35 yard run early in the fourth quarter that helped to salt away much of the Cardinals (11-6) momentum.
Quarterback Cam Newton who put together an otherwise efficient game, was 18 of 32 for 198 yards and 2 touchdown passes with 1 interception. After all he’s been through this year which included his December 9, 2014 car accident, this win cured a lot of his and the Panthers’ ills.
Stewart added to the Panther’s lead when he scored on a determined two-tackle breaking 13 yard touchdown run. It was 10-0 Carolina with 5:21 left in the first quarter.
But Arizona countered with a Daniel Fells back of the end zone 1 yard touchdown reception from quarterback Ryan Lindley (16 of 28 for 82 yards, 1 touchdown pass and 2 interceptions). It was 10-7 Carolina with 14:56 left in the second quarter.
Rookie Cardinals running back Marion Grice gave his team the lead again, when he powered up the middle and then muscled through a hard hit and attempted tackle by linebacker Luke Kuechly (6 tackles, 1 interception and 1 tipped pass) in order to score a 1 yard touchdown run. The Cardinals took their first and last lead of the game at 14-10 with that score and with 2:46 left in the first half.
Late in the third quarter, it took a big play from a little used and backup running back to truly let the Panthers know that they were about to send the Cardinals home. Fozzy Whitaker took a screen pass from Newton on the right side of the field, then took himself to the left side of the field where blocks from left tackle Byron Bell, center Ryan Kalil and wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin aided the rest of his 39 yard touchdown reception. It was 20-14 Carolina with 5:36 left in the third quarter.
Then Panthers fullback Mike Tolbert put the kibosh on the game, when he took a Newton pass and rumbled into the end zone for a 1 yard touchdown play. It was 27-14 Carolina with 4:04 left in the third quarter.
A self-inflicted safety by the Panthers occurred near the tail end of the contest when punter Brad Nortman took his sweet time to run out of the back of the end zone. That safety made the score 27-16 Panthers with three seconds left in the game.
Multiple laterals by the Cardinals on the ensuing kickoff ended up netting nothing but lost yardage. Game over.
