NFL playoffs 2016 schedule and bracket: Panthers to meet Broncos in Super Bowl 50
And then there were two: The Panthers dominated the Cardinals to set up a date with the Broncos in Santa Clara for Super Bowl 50.
Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
The Carolina Panthers are headed to Super Bowl 50 to meet the Denver Broncos after beating the Arizona Cardinals easily Sunday night, 49-15. The Panthers forced four first half turnovers to race out to a 24-7 halftime lead. Unlike their big lead against the Seattle Seahawks a week ago, this one stuck. There was no almost-comeback. Cam Newton and company made an excellent Cardinals team look mediocre.
They'll face a fearsome defense in Santa Clara. The Broncos shuttered a New England Patriots offense that had been getting healthier, and looking better with Julian Edelman in the lineup. They flustered Tom Brady into two interceptions to help Peyton Manning improve to 3-2 all-time against Brady in the playoffs. Manning did just enough to win, going 17-for-32 for 176 yards and two touchdowns.
The Broncos will have an edge in experience, but it’s impossible to deny how good the Panthers have been. Outside of a lackadaisical second half against the Seahawks, the defense has been opportunistic, and Newton has been nigh unstoppable. Against the Cardinals he accounted for four touchdowns and 382 total yards.
The Super Bowl will be played on Feb. 7 at Levi's Stadium, home of the San Francisco 49ers. CBS will have the game, with kickoff scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET that Sunday. The game could be the biggest ever, and there will be no shortest of storylines — not the least of which being the likely NFL MVP going up against one of the best quarterbacks of all time.
SB Nation shop: Buy Carolina Panthers gear
Below are the complete results of the 2016 NFL playoffs.
Schedule (all times Eastern)
Saturday, Jan. 9
AFC Wild Card Game 1: Kansas City Chiefs 30, Houston Texans 0 (recap)
AFC Wild Card Game 2: Pittsburgh Steelers 18, Cincinnati Bengals 16 (recap)
Sunday, Jan. 10
NFC Wild Card Game 1: Seattle Seahawks 10, Minnesota Vikings 9 (recap)
NFC Wild Card Game 2: Green Bay Packers 35, Washington 18 (recap)
Saturday, Jan. 16
Sunday, Jan. 17
Sunday, Jan. 24
AFC Championship: Denver Broncos 20, New England Patriots 18 (recap)
NFC Championship: Carolina Panthers 49, Arizona Cardinals 15 (recap)
Sunday, Feb. 7
Super Bowl 50: Denver Broncos vs. Carolina Panthers, 6:30 p.m., CBS
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