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PANTHERS REPORT

ARIZONA CARDINALS (10-7) at CAROLINA PANTHERS (12-4)

NFC DIVISIONAL PLAYOFF GAME

8:15 p.m. today, Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte

TV: WGHP-8 Radio: WZTK-101.1 Weather: Showers, 50 degrees at kickoff

THE STORY LINE

Carolina, which has given up 19 passing touchdowns in December, hosts a pass-happy Arizona team that is 0-5 in the Eastern time zone this season. The winner advances to the NFC championship game.

THREE TO WATCH

CARDINALS

QB Kurt Warner: Indoors, he's 37-11; outdoors, he's 21-33. He ripped Carolina for 381 yards passing back in October, second only to Drew Brees' 386 on Dec. 28.

LB Karlos Dansby: Three of his six tackles went for losses last week; Arizona's tackles leader is an adept blitzer and also is strong against the run.

WR Steve Breaston: With Anquan Boldin ailing, Larry Fitzgerald's room to operate will depend on Breaston, Arizona's third 1,000-yard receiver.

PANTHERS

QB Jake Delhomme: His 95.0 playoff passer rating is the best among QBs still playing, yet former Panthers WR Keyshawn Johnson -- now doing TV -- calls his passes "hand grenades."

RB Jonathan Stewart: He has 4 TDs in his past four games, despite averaging a yard less per carry than he did during the rest of regular season (4.5).

WR D.J. Hackett: Production from Muhsin Muhammad and Steve Smith is given; Hackett hasn't scored a touchdown in nearly 13 months.

BY THE NUMBERS

CARDINALS Att. Yds. Avg. TD

James 133 514 3.9 3

Hightower 143 399 2.8 10

TOTAL 340 1,178 3.5 14

PANTHERS Att. Yds. Avg. TD

D.Williams 273 1,515 5.5 18

Stewart 184 836 4.5 10

TOTAL 504 2,437 4.8 30

CARDINALS Comp.-Att. Yds. TD Int.

Warner 401-598 4,583 30 14

PANTHERS Comp.-Att. Yds. TD Int.

Delhomme 246-414 3,288 15 12

THREE KEY INJURIES

CARDINALS: WR Anquan Boldin won't test his sore hamstring until game time; DE Travis LaBoy (ankle) and TE Leonard Pope (knee) are doubtful..

PANTHERS: DTs Maake Kemoeatu (ankle) and Damione Lewis (shoulder) will play; G Geoff Hangartner (ankle) likely won't.

THREE TRENDS

1. Panthers RB DeAngelo Williams has no fumbles in 273 rushes; Arizona has a league-high 17 fumble recoveries this season.

2. Carolina won all eight home games by an average of 15.4 points during the regular season.

3. Of the Panthers' 53 players, none has played on a Super Bowl-winning team.

ANALYSIS

Cardinals win if ... Warner avoids the bad luck of tipped passes that hurt him last time at Carolina, RB Edgerrin James contributes at least 50 yards rushing and Boldin can at least take the field.

Panthers win if ... They avoid the rust of a bye week that slowed them in the regular season, they don't underestimate Arizona's improved run defense and they take a few smart chances in their nickel packages.

Outcome: If you're Arizona, do you stack the box against record-setting Williams and RB Jonathan Stewart? Do you dare thin the ranks covering WR Steve Smith, who has 372 yards and five TDs in his past three games against you? Expect Carolina to struggle with Warner's passing acumen, but to beat the Cardinals at their own game -- scoring points in bunches. Panthers 36, Cardinals 34

-- Eli Pacheco, Special to the News & Record

CARDINALS Rec. Yds. Avg. TD

Fitzgerald 96 1,431 14.9 12

Boldin 89 1,038 11.7 11

Breaston 77 1,006 13.1 3

TOTAL 418 4,875 11.7 31

PANTHERS Rec. Yds. Avg. TD

Smith 78 1,421 18.2 6

Muhammad 65 923 14.2 5

Rosario 18 209 11.6 1

TOTAL 246 3,288 13.4 15

PANTHERS (12-4)

Sept. 7 at San Diego W, 26-24

Sept. 14 Chicago W, 20-17

Sept. 21 at Minnesota L, 20-10

Sept. 28 Atlanta W, 24-9

Oct. 5 Kansas City W, 34-0

Oct. 12 at Tampa Bay L, 27-3

Oct. 19 New Orleans W, 30-7

Oct. 26 Arizona W, 27-23

Nov. 9 at Oakland W, 17-6

Nov. 16 Detroit W, 31-22

Nov. 23 at Atlanta L, 45-28

Nov. 30 at Green Bay W, 35-31

Dec. 8 Tampa Bay W, 38-23

Dec. 14 Denver W, 30-10

Dec. 21 at N.Y. Giants L, 34-28 (OT)

Dec. 28 at New Orleans W, 33-31

Today Arizona 8:15

CARDINALS (10-7)

Sept. 7 at San Francisco W, 23-13

Sept. 14 Miami W, 31-10

Sept. 21 at Washington L, 24-17

Sept. 28 at N.Y. Jets L, 56-35

Oct. 5 Buffalo W, 41-17

Oct. 12 Dallas W, 30-24 (OT)

Oct. 26 at Carolina L, 27-23

Nov. 2 at St. Louis W, 34-13

Nov. 10 San Francisco W, 29-24

Nov. 16 at Seattle W, 26-20

Nov. 23 N.Y. Giants L, 37-29

Nov. 27 at Philadelphia L, 48-20

Dec. 7 St. Louis W, 34-10

Dec. 14 Minnesota L, 35-14

Dec. 21 at New England L, 47-7

Dec. 28 Seattle W, 34-21

Jan. 3 Atlanta W, 30-24

Today at Carolina 8:15