Choker’s Wild — Ex-trojan Carson Palmer blunders through the NFC Championship game, personally committing SIX Turnovers: TWO lost fumbles, and FOUR Interceptions, including TWO in the End Zone, and a Pick-6, dragging Arizona to a season-terminating 49-15 loss
The Carolina Panthers are going to the Super Bowl. Most people will say that their MVP in the NFC Title game was their Quarterback Cam Newton. But it could be argued that their REAL MVP was the OTHER QB. Cardinals’ Quarterback Carson Palmer was simply atrocious, turning the ball over a remarkable SIX times in the 49-15 loss.
Palmer’s supporters will blame his injured finger. But his finger does not explain Palmer’s two lost fumbles in the first half, that helped Carolina build a 24-7 halftime lead. And if the finger was the cause of the 4 Interceptions, then he should have SAT OUT the game and let his back-up take a crack at it. Instead, Carson gave the finger to all the Cardinals fans, by personally destroying their chance to make it into Super Bowl 50.
The Cardinals have one other trojan on their roster: Frostee Rucker, who is infamous for being accused of raping a 12-year old, and repeatedly beating up a usc coed, didn’t help the Cardinals’ cause either. He wasn’t as damaging as Palmer was, but he was a total non-factor on Defense. In fact, the only time he got his name called, it was for a penalty that gave Carolina a crucial First Down, on the opening drive of the second half. The Panthers went on to score 3 on that drive, maintaining the momentum that allowed them to roll to a laughingly easy victory.
The Panthers will face the Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl. Denver barely outlasted New England on Sunday, so Peyton Manning has a chance to redeem himself for one of the worst Super Bowl showings in history, two years ago. But the aging Manning has been less than stellar this season. It was the Denver DEFENSE that carried them to the AFC Crown, and that Defense will have their hands full with the Panthers’ balanced Offense. And I doubt that Manning will be successful against Carolina’s solid D. He won’t commit SIX Turnovers, but he probably won’t throw enough TD passes to get a ring.