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.