Final
Newton, Panthers rout Cardinals, 49-15 for NFC title
Jan 25, 2016 - 4:48 AM CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) Superman is bringing his cape and his pen to Super Bowl 50. He's leaving behind his camera.''Yeah, we are going to the Super Bowl. We are not going just to take pictures,'' Cam Newton said Sunday after leading the Carolina Panthers into the big game with a 49-15 rout of Arizona for the NFC championship. ''We are trying to finish this thing off.''
That would be against Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos in two weeks.
''Playing the sheriff,'' Newton said of Manning. ''We're going to live in the moment right now. We're going to be excited.''
Newton threw for two touchdowns and ran for two others, and Carolina's big-play defense stifled Arizona's top-ranked offense. The 49 points were the most for an NFC title game winner.
The NFL's new top man at quarterback - Newton is an All-Pro this season - goes against five-time MVP Manning. Carolina is favored by four points.
''We've been dreaming about this moment since Day 1,'' Newton said. ''Our pen has a lot more ink left.''
It will be Newton's first trip to the Super Bowl and the second for the Panthers (17-1), who lost to New England 12 years ago. Denver, of course, has made a habit of going to Super Bowls, reaching it for a record-tying eighth time.
And while the Broncos' defense carried it past New England 20-18 for the AFC crown, Carolina's D was just as destructive. It picked off Carson Palmer four times, forced two fumbles by him, and never let up the assault.
Special teams also had a takeaway, and when Carolina grabbed a 24-7 halftime lead this time, it didn't back off, as it did in nearly blowing a 31-point margin a week ago vs. Seattle.
When Newton flew into the end zone for a 12-yard third-quarter touchdown - no, he didn't have the cape on - he posed like a superhero, dabbed a bit, and pointed the Panthers toward the Bay Area.
Newton finished with 335 yards passing and 47 rushing as Carolina won its 13th straight home game, including three in the playoffs.
One of his biggest helpers was Ted Ginn Jr., who was dumped by the Cardinals after last season. Ginn had a 32-yard punt return to set up his weaving 22-yard TD run, and chased down All-Pro cornerback Patrick Peterson to prevent a second-quarter touchdown. He also had 52 yards on two receptions.
''Yes, it was personal,'' Ginn said. ''My team knew it was personal.''
Carolina's defense did the rest, most notably making Palmer uncomfortable in the pocket and turning Larry Fitzgerald, the star of last week's overtime victory against Green Bay, into a virtual non-entity. It led the league with 39 takeaways, and at times it made an Arizona team that gained more yards than anyone look amateurish.
''We wanted to come out and play a complete game and I think the guys up front played exceptional,'' linebacker Luke Kuechly said. ''There was pressure all day.''
Capping the barrage was Kuechly, who returned an interception 22 yards for a score. The 49 points were the most this season for Carolina, which led the NFL with 500. The last time a team scored as many in a conference title game was 1990: Buffalo 51, the Raiders 3 in the AFC.
The scoring started quickly, as it did for the Panthers against the Seahawks. Newton hit four passes for 35 yards on their opening drive and Graham Gano hit from 45 yards for a 3-0 lead.
Criticized for being too conservative against Green Bay, Palmer let it fly from the outset. He just connected too many times with the Panthers.
''I kept digging us in a hole and we just couldn't come out of it,'' Palmer said.
Ginn's 32-yard punt return set up the Panthers at the Arizona 49. Six plays later, he took a pitch from Newton, headed left and broke a tackle by Justin Bethel. Just as quickly as he was surrounded by red shirts, the swift Ginn emerged to cut across the field into the end zone for a 10-0 lead.
Nearly as swiftly, it was 17-0. Newton fired a dart to Philly Brown. Another botched tackle, this one at the Carolina 47 by Rashad Johnson, left Brown with nothing but unprotected turf.
Arizona finally moved into Carolina territory, only to see Kawann Short sack Palmer and strip the ball.
The Cardinals kept trying, and put together a 79-yard scoring drive on which David Johnson starred after an ignominious start. He was plastered by All-Pro linebacker Thomas Davis for a 6-yard loss on the first play of the series, then came back to gain 25 yards, including a 1-yard TD dive.
Davis, who already had six tackles, left with a broken right forearm during that drive.
''I will do whatever it takes (to play),'' he said of the Super Bowl.
Peterson made a huge muff trying to field a punt later in the second period. Jonathan Stewart ran for 17 and 23 yards - more missed tackles by the Arizona defense - and Newton leaped to extend the ball over the goal line from the 1.
He followed with a dab or two, handed the ball to a fan in the end zone, and ran to the sideline to chants of ''MVP! MVP!''
There were plenty more of those during the trophy celebration, and fans danced in the stands as the loudspeaker played ''Shout.''
Palmer was performing like anything but an MVP.
On Arizona's first play after Peterson's muff, Palmer was sacked and fumbled. Newton gave it back when Peterson picked him off and ran 72 yards to the Carolina 23 - and Palmer gave that one back with a weak throw Kurt Coleman intercepted in the end zone.
At one point, the Cardinals had turnovers on three consecutive plays: the muff, Palmer's fumble, and Coleman's first of two picks.
''We're Thieves Avenue,'' Coleman said.
---
AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL
- ARIZONA: 15
CAROLINA: 49
Final
Jan 24 9:58 PM - 3-C.Palmer incomplete. Intended for 12-J.Brown, INTERCEPTED by 59-L.Kuechly at ARI 21. 59-L.Kuechly runs 21 yards for a touchdown.
Cardinals 15, Panthers 48 4th - 05:20Jan 24 9:42 PM - 1-C.Newton complete to 35-M.Tolbert. 35-M.Tolbert to ARI End Zone for 1 yard. Conversion is good.
Cardinals 15, Panthers 42 4th - 05:26Jan 24 9:38 PM - 1-C.Newton complete to 17-D.Funchess. 17-D.Funchess runs 5 yards for a touchdown.
Cardinals 15, Panthers 40 4th - 05:30Jan 24 9:36 PM - 14-J.Nelson to CAR End Zone for 2 yards. Conversion is good.
Cardinals 15, Panthers 34 4th - 14:16Jan 24 9:14 PM - 3-C.Palmer complete to 85-D.Fells. 85-D.Fells runs 21 yards for a touchdown.
Cardinals 13, Panthers 34 4th - 14:21Jan 24 9:13 PM - msparker LET'S GO KILLA CAM. DAB ON EM !!! UNSTOPPABLE. SUPERBOWL BOUND !!!
Cardinals 7, Panthers 24 2nd - 1:56Jan 24 8:16 PM - 9-G.Gano extra point is good. Team penalty on ARI, Illegal formation,.
Cardinals 7, Panthers 24 2nd - 01:56Jan 24 8:12 PM - msparker LOOK AT MY LOOK AT MY DAB! GO CAM. PROUD TO BE FROM NC
Cardinals 0, Panthers 17 1st - 0:49Jan 24 7:30 PM - 1-C.Newton complete to 10-P.Brown. 10-P.Brown runs 86 yards for a touchdown.
Cardinals 0, Panthers 16 1st - 01:03Jan 24 7:26 PM - 9-G.Gano kicks 65 yards from CAR 35 to ARI End Zone. touchback.
Jan 24 6:46 PM - ARIZONA: 0
CAROLINA: 0
1st Quarter - 15:00
Jan 24 6:46 PM
Related News
- Baker Mayfield and Bucs Clinch NFC South Jan 7
- Panthers Owner David Tepper Fined $300,000 After Incident at Jaguars-Panthers Game Jan 2
- Week 17 opening odds Dec 26
- Risers and Fallers in Week 16’s home loss against the Green Bay Packers Dec 26
- Ravens-49ers: How to watch, start time, TV channel, live stream and more Dec 25
- Eagles vs Giants: How to watch, game time, TV schedule, streaming and more Dec 25
- Chiefs vs Raiders: How to watch, game time, TV schedule, streaming and more Dec 25
- Christmas Day picks and open thread Dec 25
- Highlighting the Cardinals’ positives on Christmas Day Dec 25
- Arizona Cardinals open as underdogs against Philadelphia Eagles Dec 25
- The Scratching Post: 12/25-12/29 Dec 25
- Arizona Cardinals comeback bid falls short in loss to Chicago Bears Dec 24