The Carolina Panthers are 12-0 straight up and 8-4 against the spread in their last 12 games at home. The Panthers hope to take advantage of home field advantage one more time this Sunday to earn a trip to the Super Bowl with a win over the Arizona Cardinals.
Cardinals vs. Panthers 2016, NFC Championship odds: Carolina betting favorite vs. Arizona
The top two teams in the conference collide when the favored Carolina Panthers host the Arizona Cardinals in the NFC Championship Game.
Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
Carolina is a 3-point betting favorite in the NFC Championship Game according to sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com. In the two instances in franchise history that the Carolina Panthers have been a playoff betting favorite of three points or less they are 2-0 SU and ATS.
One of those instances came last Sunday when the Panthers were a 2.5-point favorite at home against the Seattle Seahawks. Carolina was completely dominant in that game out of the gate, jumping out to a 31-0 lead before halftime.
Conservative play in the second half made the game look closer than it actually was with a final score of 31-24, but it was still enough to give Carolina its 12th straight home win and its fifth straight ATS cover at home.
The Panthers earned the top seed in the NFC and home field in this game with a 15-1 SU and 11-5 ATS record in the regular season. They are now 13-1 SU and 10-4 ATS in their last 14 games per the OddsShark NFL Database.
The Arizona Cardinals survived a wild game against the Green Bay Packers last Saturday night, coming away with a 26-20 overtime victory after failing to defend a Hail Mary pass at the end of regulation that forced overtime.
The Cardinals will likely need a more complete effort on both sides of the ball to overcome the Panthers this week, a team they have struggled against with a 1-4 SU record in their last five games in Carolina. Arizona is 5-0 SU and 4-1 ATS in its last five games on the road this season.
Sunday night’s total is set at 47.5 points. The OVER is 5-2 in Arizona’s last seven games in the month of January.
This should be a great game between the two teams that were clearly the best in the NFC this season. At home and arguably in slightly better form, Carolina looks to be the play as a 3-point favorite.
Arizona Cardinals vs. Carolina Panthers
When: Sunday, Jan. 24, 6:40 p.m. ET
Where: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina
Betting Line / Total: Carolina -3 / 47.5 Points
