Carolina beat Seattle to move into Championship game

The Carolina Panthers built a 31-point halftime lead before barely holding off Seattle's relentless comeback, beating the Seahawks 31-24 on Sunday to advance to the NFC championship game.

"The playoffs bring out more than any other time the impact of 'Big Mo, '" Newton said after top-seeded Carolina moved into the NFC title game, which it will host next Sunday against second-seeded Arizona.

The Seahawks mounted a comeback as Russell Wilson finally found his range in the third quarter with touchdown throws to wide receivers Jermaine Kearse and Tyler Lockett. But with it 31-24, All-Pro Carolina linebacker Thomas Davis hauled in Hauschka's onside kick - and with Seattle having just one timeout left, the Panthers were able to run out the clock. Carolina only had to drive 54 yards for their fourth touchdown of the first half and a 31-0 lead. The Seahawks' bruising back was nicked up at times in 2015 and his play wasn't the caliber that we're used to - he averaged 3.8 yards per carry and only had three touchdowns on the year.

"In the second half, we had to go for it", Wilson said.

"We need to clean some things up, we need things in the second half that we can do better". Carson Palmer is completing 61 percent of his passes for 349 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions.

Lynch was limited to just 111 carries and 417 yards in the regular season because of a hamstring injury early in the season and abdominal surgery in late November that sidelined him for the final seven games of the regular season.

In Saturday's 27-20 victory over Kansas City, Brady hit Gronkowski with a pair of touchdown passes. I don't think that field would allow any better than that."Okung injured Left tackle Russell Okung left the game after Seattle's first play of the second quarter after Carolina's Mario Addison pulled Okung's arm from his shoulder on a pass rush".

That's right, during one of those eight touches in the game, Lynch took out his frustration on Harper by lowering the boom and absolutely trucking him in the process. Struggling with constant pressure, Wilson went 10-for-77 for 111 yards and those two picks in the first half.

For the moment, they're all in the same place: one win away from Super Bowl 50. Wilson, who was sacked five times, made some big throws, particularly to Kearse, who has 11 catches for 110 yards. Stewart, who had missed four weeks, had a gain of 59 on the game's first play (behind nice blocks by Trai Turner and Mike Tolbert) and a touchdown run three plays later.

Kuechly was far more alert, grabbing the interception and sprinting 14 yards to make it 14-0 only 3 1/2 minutes in.

The Seahawks also have one of the NFL's best young linemen in second-year guard Justin Britt. "We got behind and I take the blame for that".

The biggest problem in this game was the second half collapse for Carolina.

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