Panthers v Cardinals - Who are we rooting for?

Both teams present great challenges to our team and at the same time as a fan, the BS losses to each team in recent memory still stews in the back of my mind and both are due for a little sweet revenge, Belichick Style.

The scariest thing about the Panthers is Cam Newtons ability to get that tough few yards to extend drives. This is what I find it be the back breaker over and over. That plus his progression as a pocket passer has made him a VERY dangerous weapon that requires a defense to be very patient, very aware and mentally/Physically strong enough to last all 12 rds of a heavyweight fight..

Arizona, this is just what Bruce Arians does baby (since his days as OC)! Loads his offense with an unlimited amount of Wide Receiver talent , every week a new WR jump out of the blue and makes a play. Extremely deep on the offensive front (esp @ WR). The defense has taken a hit in the secondary in losing Mathieu but still presents a respectable challenge.

Both teams would require a true Belichickian effort to beat..

But first we deal with Mr. Al Jazeera.

AZ, but part of me want the Pats to put those panthers bytches in places.

As with the Pitt/Denver game, I'm rooting for them to beat each other into paste. Overall, looking at matchups, esp. receiving corps vs. our defense, I'd rather that CAR advance. Either will be a tough go, though.

Cam won me a Fantasy Football Championship in his rookie year so I will be rooting for them

I would rather face AZ on a personal level. They are the team i could stomach a loss to more. While I believe Carolina is the slightly better team I think we actually match up pretty well with them.

The way to beat Carolina

#1 No/Equal turnovers - Their offense isn't bad but they have scored with their D all year (short fields and pick 6s). If you don't give them those they are suddenly going to be very mortal. Against Seattle they got an easy 10 on turnovers. If not for that Seattle be right in it. We can do this. Brady can throw 50 times with no turnovers with safe passes short. Also their starting DE went down making this a little easier as they will get less pressure.

#2 Greg Olson - He is probably the 2nd best TE to Gronk. He is their clear #1 threat and damn near impossible to stop but if you contain him a lot of their offense goes down the tube. We can do this. Chung has stepped up to be one of our more impactful defenders (i know right!). After what he did a few days ago without a ton of help I think he can do the same vs Olson.

#3 Cam Newton - You need to keep a spy on him and play pass defense. Both are very hard to do at once. Though he has turn into a better pocket passer he is merely average at best from that perspective. Contain him and cover his overall coverable weapons. We can do this mostly. Collins can spy and rush while we have the DBs to handle his WRs (besides the Chung/Olson match up).

#4 Stop the run - Their running game is good but not great when you don't factor in Cam's runs. With a healthy hightower and going with big DTs we can do this too.

So we can do everything we have to to beat Carolina if we play well. Play mistake free effective O and control those things i mentioned on D and we can win 27-20 in a tight game i think. With Brady/Gronk/Edelman healthy (and the OL blocking pretty well) we can score near 30 on everyone.

Good summary, BobD. I pretty much agree down the line including preferring seeing AZ advance from the disinterested fan perspective. If we can't win, I'd like to see AZ win. But the best way for us to win is for CAR to be the opponent.

The Patriots just beat a junior version of the Panthers.

If Patrick Chung can hold his current form , Olsen vs Chung would be a great battle.

turkeyneck said:

Good summary, BobD. I pretty much agree down the line including preferring seeing AZ advance from the disinterested fan perspective. If we can't win, I'd like to see AZ win. But the best way for us to win is for CAR to be the opponent.

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IDK if AZ or Car would be better for the Pats. Against AZ it is simpler though... Pass rush, cover and score more... pretty conventional game.

BobDigital said:

IDK if AZ or Car would be better for the Pats. Against AZ it is simpler though... Pass rush, cover and score more... pretty conventional game.

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The most worrisome thing about the Cardinals is that , if our passrush isn't exceptional all game, he may have enough time to target guys who have been struggling lately in coverage (Logan Ryan).. Fitz or Brown would be a huge challenge for Ryan.

I like our DBs vs Carolina moreso than ARZ. The thing that frightens me about Car is the fact that Newton is built like a Linebacker and can pick up and covert third downs over and over and over and over with his legs. I keep have flashbacks of Newton torching Hightower two years ago. Now... With Hightowers knee issues, Collins Oblique, Jones Knee issues , and Easley out... Makes me nervous. Best defense vs Brady is keeping him off the field and Newton can Do that .. Incredibly well. Defensive front would have the to play the game of their lives (which I'm confident they would).

I don't like this kind of talk because all we should be thinking about is Denver. It's going to be a tough, emotional game in a place that has seen the Pats dreams die before.

But, I'll bite and answer the question.

"Either one," with a slight preference for Carolina. Both will present challenges, but I think the Pats can handle them and prevail. Either one will beat Denver.

On the one hand, as others have observed, Cam presents major challenges. But I think Carolina will come into the game over-hyped and our guys are mature enough to turn that to their advantage early on. We all saw yesterday what happens when a very good team has a chance to figure them out for a half. I think the near death experience in frigid Minnesota had the Seahawks in a bad place at the beginning of the game. Congrats to the Panthers for exploiting it.

Carson Palmer is more mature and I don't want to play against a Bruce-Arians coached team. Larry Fitzgeral is other worldly (but that's what people said about Beast Mode last year). I think that's a much tougher game for the Pats.

BobDigital said:

IDK if AZ or Car would be better for the Pats. Against AZ it is simpler though... Pass rush, cover and score more... pretty conventional game.

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Yes, a more conventional game plan but it's that pash rush and cover part that concerns me. Also, we have a lot of practice now with qbs who like to get on their horse. I think our rush is better suited to the contain style that Newton requires. A rush that doesn't get to Palmer is going to put awful pressure on the secondary and Palmer's got the tools to exploit it.

I cannot stand Patrick Peterson, **** talking punk that knows nothing. That being said, I am sure at Media Day he'll make some stupid comment about Brady and cheating.

That right there has me leaning towards AZ.

TommyBrady12 said:

Not sure which team I would rather see if the pats make it to the super bowl. Cam Newton is more dangerous than Carson Palmer, but arizona's WRs are better than Carolina's. Part of me wants payback against Carolina for the game a few years ago where we got hosed.

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Right now only the pats. Dont care about the other game.

Carolina is starting Robert McClain as their #2 cornerback....this is the same guy we cut in the pre-season....so Carolina. Arizona's wr's scare me.

I'm only focused on Denver. Ha!

Does it matter? If it's NE, it'll come down to the last possession and will probably be a 3-4 point game anyway.

All I know is that while my head tells me that if I could add one player to the Patriots in the NFL, it might be JJ Watt or Richard Sherman or maybe a stud LB like Kuechly, my heart tells me that I would take Larry Fitzgerald to play with Brady over anyone else.

Fitzgerald is an NFL great. In every sense.

I don't understand why you all are torturing yourselves about this now. Most patriots fans rooting interest in NFC championship depends on the outcome of the AFCC game. Since NFCC starts after AFCC, I will figure out who I am rooting for at 6:30 next Sunday.