The Carolina Panthers have a terrific front seven. Defensive tackle Kawann Short is the leader of a terrifying pass rush, having picked up 11 sacks during the regular season all by himself. He didn’t sack Russell Wilson in the divisional round, but Wilson is one of the most mobile quarterbacks in the NFL. Carson Palmer, the Arizona Cardinals’ quarterback, prefers to move around inside a clean pocket. His scramble during the overtime period, when he found Larry Fitzgerald wide open down the field, was definitely not the way that he prefers to do business, and the Panthers could definitely take advantage of this.
The Arizona Cardinals are a pass-first team, and they like to keep the opposition in nickel packages. This means that Kuechly and Davis may have a ton of field to cover during this game, as they have to fall into coverage again and again. If the Panthers’ defensive line cannot create pressure against what is a terrific Arizona offensive line, Palmer could slice and dice the defense, as Larry Fitzgerald will certainly find ways to get open — his playoff resume is one of the best in NFL history as far as wide receivers go.
What is the to victory for Carolina in Sunday’s game? #AZvsCAR : https://t.co/4VnGu00o1e pic.twitter.com/yAaqrGRjsr
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) January 19, 2016
Carolina’s defense: a turnover machine
No defense forced more turnovers than the Carolina Panthers did during the regular season, as they took the ball away from the opposition 39 times — or about 2 ½ times per game. They added to that total against the Seahawks, snatching two interceptions out of the air. The linebacking pair of Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis, both of whom have been named to the Pro Bowl, anchor the defensive line, and Kuechly’s pick-six against the SEahawks was an early momentum shift toward the home team.What about the secondary?
