Arizona Cardinals vs Carolina Panthers: prediction, preview, pick to win

Arizona Cardinals (3-3-1) at Carolina Panthers (1-5)

KICKOFF: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, Bank of America Stadium. TV: FOX, Sam Rosen, Daryl Johnston, Laura Okmin.

SERIES HISTORY: 13th meeting. Panthers lead the all-time series, 8-4. Arizona and Carolina have also met three times in the postseason, with the Panthers holding a 2-1 advantage in the playoffs. This is a rematch of the NFC Championship Game in which the Panthers routed the Cardinals 49-15, forcing quarterback Carson Palmer into six turnovers. The Cardinals have won the past two regular-season meetings, including a 22-6 victory at University of Phoenix Stadium in 2013.

GAMEDATE: 10/30/16

KEYS TO THE GAME: Each of last season's NFC title game participants has been a disappointment so far in 2016, but the Panthers come in with the biggest issue. That's a defense that ranks 29th in scoring, 24th in total yards and 26th in passing yards allowed. Fortunately for Carolina, the Cardinals' have a middle-of-the-pack passing attack led by QB Carson Palmer, who could help the Panthers' struggling pass rush get back into form. DEs Charles Johnson and Kony Ealy need to get Palmer off his spot to help out a struggling secondary. The Panthers also need to bottle up the running skills of RB David Johnson, who leads the NFL in total yards from scrimmage.

Look for the Cardinals to test the Panthers' secondary, even though that position group is getting healthier. Arizona would like to establish a rushing attack, which has gained 475 yards in its past three games and came against two of the top-rushing defense in the league in the Jets and Seahawks.

The Cardinals' second-ranked defense is especially salty against the pass, but QB Cam Newton and company piled up 335 passing yards in January's NFC Championship Game. But Arizona didn't have S Tyrann Mathieu or OLB Chandler Jones for that game, so this is a much tougher test. If the Panthers' offensive line limits the Cardinals' potent pass rush, Newton will likely send plenty of targets to TE Greg Olsen, who won't be covered by Pro Bowl CB Patrick Peterson.

MATCHUPS TO WATCH:

--Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald vs. Panthers LB Shaq Thompson. Fitzgerald is tied for third in the NFL with 46 receptions. When the Panthers used Thompson in the slot during the NFC Championship Game, he helped hold Fitzgerald to four catches for 30 yards.

--Panthers OT Mike Remmers vs. Cardinals OLB Chandler Jones. Remmers likely will get his fourth straight start on the left side, drawing a tough assignment in Jones, who has five sacks in seven games. With Michael Oher still in the concussion protocol, Remmers should see plenty of work against Jones, and that's not a matchup in the Panthers' favor.

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: Panthers DE Charles Johnson. Second on the Panthers' all-time list with 64 sacks, the 10-year veteran has just half a sack this season. But he has great numbers against the Cardinals, racking up nine sacks in eight meetings.

INJURY REPORT: Arizona -- Out: TE Darren Fells (ankle), LB Alex Okafor (calf), DT Ed Stinson (toe). Questionable: WR John Brown (hamstring), WR Michael Floyd (hamstring), S Troy Jefferson (illness), T Jared Veldheer (finger). Carolina -- Out: DT Vernon Butler (ankle), T Michael Oher (concussion). Questionable: CB James Bradberry (foot), DE Kony Ealy (illness), CB Robert McClain (hamstring), DT Paul Soliai (foot), CB Daryl Worley (concussion).

FAST FACTS: This is a rematch of last season's NFC title game, won by Carolina 49-15. ... Cardinals RB David Johnson had 171 scrimmage yards in Week 7 and is aiming for his eighth straight game with 100 scrimmage yards. He leads the NFL with 1,004 and also is tied for the lead with eight rushing TDs. ... Cardinals LB Markus Golden has four sacks in his past three road games. LB Chandler Jones had a sack and forced fumble in Week 7. He had a sack in the last meeting ... Panthers QB Cam Newton threw for 322 yards and scored three touchdowns in Week 6. In the NFC title game, he threw for 355 yards and two TDs and also ran for two scores.

PREDICTION: These teams are very different than the iterations that met in January. The Cardinals are playing their best ball and the Panthers' defense is nowhere near as tough as the Seattle unit that shut down Arizona last week.

OUR PICK: Cardinals, 23-17.

--Chris Cluff