NFL Predictions: 5 Reasons the Carolina Panthers Will Beat the Arizona Cardinals

By Damon Salvadore First Posted: Jan 19, 2016 01:13 PM EST

What more could NFL fans ask for? The No. 1 and No. 2 seeds in the NFC will collide with the Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals squaring off. This should be a great game, but I have a feeling the top seed will ultimately advance to Super Bowl 50.

Here are five reasons why the Panthers will beat the Cardinals in the NFC Championship game.

1. Superman

It's Cam Newton's year to shine. Newton will undoubtedly win the Most Valuable Player of the year award this season and rightfully so. Newton is making huge plays with his arm and feet, and when he's on top of his game, it's almost impossible to stop him. Newton had a combined 40 touchdowns this season with just 10 interceptions. Despite not having great wide receivers to throw to, Newton always seems to make more plays than the opposing quarterback. His chemistry with tight end Greg Olsen has been absolutely outstanding, and you can expect that to continue on Sunday.

2. Home Sweet Home

The Panthers have been perfect this year at home, literally. Ron Rivera's team is an unblemished 9-0 this year playing at Bank of America Stadium, including a huge victory last week over the defending NFC Champion Seattle Seahawks. Traveling from Glendale, Arizona to Charlotte, North Carolina is roughly 2,500 miles, not exactly across the block. Charlotte won't be freezing cold like Lambeau Field, but it's not going to be warm and cozy like the Cardinals are used to in a dome back on the West coast. Let's also not discount the power of crowd noise. You can bet Newton will want to hand out a few footballs after he finds the end zone.

3. Defense!

"Defense wins championships" is the oldest saying in football history. That's because it's true. The Panthers have invested a lot in their defense over the years, through free agency, trades and a lot of draft picks. It's all paying off. This Panthers defense has no glaring weakness. Luke Kuechly might be the best linebacker in the league while Josh Norman could very well be considered an elite cornerback. The Panthers defense ranks No. 6 in total yards and No. 6 in points allowed. They also rank No. 4 in rushing yards against and No. 11 in passing yards against. And by the way, the Panthers forced the most interceptions during the regular season. You get the picture.

4. Line of Scrimmage

Games are won and lost in the trenches. They're not the entertaining players to watch, but they're the ones who take care of business. The Panthers have both a good offensive and defensive line, which is why they are where they are. This season they ranked sixth in the league in sacks forced with 44 while the Cardinals ranked just 20th. The Panthers do a good enough job at forcing turnovers in the secondary, but they can also get to the quarterback at a high rate. Carson Palmer isn't the most mobile quarterback in the league, and he may be in for a long day.

5. Ground Game

Good in the trenches, great defense and a great running game? The Panthers really are an old school football team. The Cardinals have an excellent passing attack, but sometimes the best defense is a good offense. If the Panthers control the clock with their effective running game, Larry Fitzgerald and that offense won't have much time to score. The Panthers rushing attack ranked second in the league this year thanks to Jonathan Stewart leading the way. The Panthers ran the ball more than any other team in the league this year. Even Newton had 10 rushing touchdowns this season, more than anyone on the Cardinals.