Page 17 - Aruba Today

SPORTS A17
Monday 18 January 2016

Cardinals Beat Packers in OT, Patriots Also Advance
Page 21

Big Mo

Carolina Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart (28) runs against Seattle Seahawks strong safety Kam Chancellor (31) during the first half of an NFL divisional playoff
football game, Sunday, Jan. 17, 2016, in Charlotte, N.C.

(AP Photo/Bob Leverone)

Panthers Build 31-0 Lead, Beat Seahawks 31-24

BARRY WILNER surviving. ship, it can credit the lesson that in the second half. You Jonathan Stewart, re-
Associated Press “The playoffs bring out learned from the Seahawks just have to find ways to get turning from a foot injury,
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — more than any other time (11-7). your groove back on.” scored two touchdowns
Four games into his playoff the impact of ‘Big Mo,’” “We have to find a way to Definitely. after jumpstarting the Pan-
career, Cam Newton rec- Newton said after Carolina complete a full game of “That’s what this game is thers with a 59-yard sprint
ognizes the key element (16-1) moved into NFC title football,” the All-Pro quar- going to teach us,” said All- on their first play.
to success. He calls it “Big game, which they will host terback added. “We have Pro linebacker Luke Kue- Newton threw for a touch-
Mo,” and there couldn’t next Sunday against Arizo- been known to take our chly, who returned a first- down.
have been a better ex- na (13-3). “Momentum. foot off the throttle and we quarter interception for a Then, Seattle showed its
ample than Carolina’s 31- “We can’t wait for no one have to find that killer in- touchdown. pedigree and climbed
24 victory over Seattle on to make plays for us.” stinct.” “No matter how good you back within seven points.
Sunday. The Panthers, winners of 12 Newton noted how play- play in the first half, the sec- “We made a mess of it in
Emphatically backing up straight at home, made all ers, coaches and even the ond half is just as important. the first half,” Seahawks
their superb regular season the right plays in building a fans were feeling the pres- It’s crazy - you go into these coach Pete Carroll said.
with one of the most domi- 31-0 lead, then were domi- sure in the final 30 minutes games and you expect it “We look at this game as a
nating halves in football nated by the two-time de- as Seattle staged a relent- to be like this, so it wasn’t a microcosm of the season.
history, the Panthers then fending NFC champs in the less comeback. surprise for us.
hung on in the face of a fu- second half. So if Carolina “It was a tale of execution. But you’ve got to be locked Continued on page 20
rious Seahawks rally before wins its first NFL champion- We needed a little more of in the whole game. “