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Panthers, Pats Would Be Super And Why Not? Both Playing Now Like They Could Be Bowl-Bound

Dave Goldberg Associated Press

After Carolina ran its record to 9-4 with a 24-0 thumping of Tampa Bay on Sunday, linebacker Kevin Greene metaphorically put the Panthers’ season in perspective.

“Man, what a blast!” he said. “Rutting around, having fun. It was like a hog going at a sweet potato in the middle of the mud.”

So while conventional wisdom suggests Sunday’s Denver-Green Bay game at Lambeau Field is a Super Bowl preview, here’s another prediction:

Carolina and New England will meet in New Orleans on Jan. 26 for the NFL championship.

Such a Super Bowl would feature a second-year expansion team against Air Parcells. Until Sunday night’s 45-7 win in San Diego, when the defense finally showed up, the Patriots were making their coach grimace by winning in a way that’s antithetical to his philosophy.

Eleven years ago, the Super Bowl was in New Orleans and the Patriots were in it, winning three playoff games on the road to get there. OK, so they lost to Chicago 46-10, but the idea is to get there.

How could a Carolina-New England matchup happen?

With three games left, the Panthers are 9-4 and can trot out the simplest of late-season cliches: “We control our own destiny.” In other words, all they have to do to win the NFC West is:

1. Beat the 49ers Sunday in San Francisco, where they won last season 13-7. The Panthers are 2-1 life-time against the 49ers, having won 23-7 at home in September. Another win would guarantee them a tiebreaker.

2. Beat Baltimore and Pittsburgh at Ericsson Stadium, where Carolina is 6-0 since its inception and may never lose. The Steelers game would be a perfect ending - a meeting of identical defenses, with Panthers coach Dom Capers going against the team he served as defensive coordinator.

The Patriots (9-4) are tied with Buffalo for the AFC East lead, but have the tiebreaker because of their better division record.

And New England closes with the Jets (1-12) at home, followed by a game at Dallas and at the Meadowlands against the Giants.

On to the playoffs.

Suppose New England goes to Denver for the AFC championship game, where the Broncos will be rusty.

So the Patriots win, say 34-8.

As for Carolina, San Francisco can’t beat the Panthers, nor can Dallas or anyone else from the NFC.

So they go to Green Bay, where they will win 17-16.

On to New Orleans.