Of the six teams left in the playoffs. The Panthers are the healthiest by far. They've had a full season to adjust to the only big loss they've had with the lost their top WR. It is not who the "best team is" that wins, , its who the healthiest team.
Another lesson to be learned from this game is just how hard it is to keep winning in this league and how special what our team has done to get here.
The 3rd lesson is that the NFL really, really wants to see the Cards or the Panthers succeed. Either the Pats, Broncos or Steelers are going to go to the superbowl from the AFC. All of them are frankly old hat having gone to 9 of the last 10 championship games. We all know how the cabal at 354 Park ave values a "level playing field (for some of it's teams) I worry about them helping to pave the way for "someone new" to be it's champion. And someone new to be the face of the league someone who is not a Manning Rodgers, and definitely NOT a Brady