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SPORTSMonday 18 January 2016
Panthers Build 31-0 Lead, Beat Seahawks 31-24
Continued from page 17 Carolina Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart (28) cele- out swinging. That was our grabbing the interception
brates his touchdown with Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam mentality, and we did a and sprinting 14 yards to
We struggled so much ear- Newton (1) against the Seattle Seahawks during the first half of great job of that. “ make it 14-0 only 3 1/2 min-
ly in the season to get go- an NFL divisional playoff football game, Sunday, Jan. 17, 2016, This will be the Panthers’ utes in.
ing, and it took us a long in Charlotte, N.C. fourth trip to the NFC The scoring barrage con-
time. When we finally did, championship game, and tinued as Stewart leaped in
we caught fire, and got (AP Photo/Bob Leverone) their first time as host. from the 1 to make it 21-0.
rolling. Everyone in here Carolina, which scored an Wilson was picked off un-
just feels like we ran out of With Newton waving the At 31-24, All-Pro lineback- NFL-best 500 points this sea- der relentless pressure
time.” crowd into frenzied cheers er Thomas Davis hauled son, stormed into the lead again, this time by Cort-
Not before they got two on the sideline, the Pan- in Hauschka’s onside kick thanks to Stewart. He burst land Finnegan at the Se-
touchdowns in the first 7:20 thers’ defense couldn’t — and Charlotte could through the middle on the attle 29. Graham Gano’s
of the third quarter. Finally stop a 60-yard drive breathe again. first snap and nearly outran 48-yard field goal made it
with time to throw, Russell capped by Steven Haus- “In the second half, we everyone, getting tackled 24-0. Greg Olsen’s spec-
Wilson hit Jermaine Kearse chka’s 36-yard field goal had to go for it,” Wilson at the Seattle 16 by Rich- tacular 19-yard reaching
for a 13-yard score and with 1:12 remaining. said. “We had to come ard Sherman. Three plays catch over double cover-
rookie Tyler Lockett for 33 later, Stewart surged into age made it 31-0.
yards, making it 31-14 — the end zone. But that ended the on-
and making the full house His return from a foot in- slaught, and the Seahawks
at Bank of America Stadi- jury that cost him three who returned for the sec-
um unnerved. games was far more dis- ond half were an entirely
When the Seahawks suc- tinguished than Marshawn different team, energetic
ceeded on a fake punt Lynch’s comeback from a and efficient.
from their 23, an epic two-month absence (ab- Wilson, who was sacked
comeback seemed pos- dominal surgery). Lynch, five times, made some big
sible. That drive stalled, who finished with 20 yards throws, particularly to Ke-
but with Carolina’s of- on six carries, was nailed in arse, who had 11 catches
fense sputtering, Seattle the backfield for a 3-yard for 110 yards. Wilson went
later got closer on Kearse’s loss on his first touch, then 31 for 48 for 366 yards, but
3-yard catch of a jump ball turned around late for Wil- the early turnovers — Se-
against All-Pro cornerback son’s pass over the middle attle had an NFC-low 16 in
Josh Norman. under pressure from Kawa- the regular season — and
nn Short. spotty defense were too
Kuechly was far more alert, much to overcome.q
