The Carolina Panthers will look to avenge an early season loss when they travel to CenturyLink Field to face the Seattle Seahawks. To earn a trip to Seattle, Carolina defeated the Arizona Cardinals 27-16. Running back Jonathan Stewart was the catalyst for Carolina’s offense, rushing for 123 yards and one touchdown on 23 carries. As a team, Carolina out-rushed Arizona 188-to-27 as its offensive line, which is finally healthy, dominated the line of scrimmage. Cam Newton threw for 198 yards and two touchdowns while adding 35 rushing yards. Newton’s touchdown passes both went to running backs, Fozzy Whittaker and Mike Tolbert, who have been unsung heroes for this team. Carolina will face a hostile environment when they travel to Seattle to face the Seahawks and the 12th man. Fans can expect to pay above average ticket prices for this match-up.

According to TiqIQ, the secondary market average  price for Panthers vs. Seahawks tickets is $368.04 while the get-in price is $158. Ticket prices for this match-up are the second highest among the NFL Divisional Round. It is however, 7% below the regular season average price in Seattle this year.

Carolina lost its Week 8 matchup at home to Seattle, 13-9, but was missing a few key players. Running backs Mike Tolbert and DeAngelo Williams, who missed the first matchup, will return to help a rushing attack that generated 114 yards in its first meeting. Carolina went 0-for-3 inside Seattle’s 20-yard line and due to injuries, were forced to utilize tight ends in its backfield during red zone situations. With Tolbert and Williams healthy for this NFC Divisional Round showdown, offensive coordinator Mike Shula will have numerous red zone options. Seattle did not have All-Pro inside linebacker, Bobby Wagner during this matchup, but will have him this weekend. Carolina’s defense will need to contain Russell Wilson, who has been shredding man coverage all season. Wilson ran for 35 yards in their Week 8 victory.

Seattle has won four straight games against Carolina with the last three meetings occurring at Bank of America Stadium. Newton has never played at CenturyLink Field and may be in for a rude awakening if his team falls behind. Fans in the Seattle area can expect to pay slightly below average ticket prices for this matchup.

The winner of this game will just be a game away from representing the NFC in the Super Bowl. Currently, the secondary market average price for Super Bowl tickets on TiqIQ is $3370.23, almost exactly the average price of last year’s Super Bowl.

Wildcard Weekend will start with a defensive slugfest as the Carolina Panthers (7-8-1), winners of the NFC South, will host the Arizona Cardinals (11-5) at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. Winners of four straight games, Carolina is one of the NFC’s hottest teams. Carolina’s success is attributable to strong play by its defensive line and innovative playmaking by quarterback, Cam Newton.

The average secondary price for Panthers vs Cardinals tickets on TiqIQ is $206.03 while the get-in price is $77. These ticket prices are the second lowest among the four Wildcard playoff games, trailing only the Bengals-Colts game at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Carolina’s defense is allowing 11 points per game, on average, during its four-game win streak and racked up six sacks during a 34-3 Week 17 blowout of the Atlanta Falcons. Atlanta’s offensive line had no answer for Carolina’s ferocious pass rush. Carolina’s defensive pressure forced quarterback Matt Ryan into untimely, errant passes. Ryan threw two interceptions, both of which were returned for touchdowns. Newton had no trouble moving the ball on Atlanta’s hapless defense, completing 10-of-16 passes for 114 yards and leading a rushing attack that generated 194 yards.

On the season, Carolina has averaged 127.3 rushing yards per game, which is the 7th best mark in the NFL. Arizona’s run defense ranks towards the middle, allowing 108.7 yards per game. Newton and Co. should have a tougher time running against this defense that has helped win eleven games. Fans can expect to pay average team tickets prices for the playoff showdown.

The Cardinals will likely prove to be a formidable opponent for the Panthers, who have struggled despite their first-place finish in the depleted NFC South. On the heels of an 11-win season, Arizona travels to Charlotte with hopes of moving one step closer to a home field Super Bowl Game, which will be played at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale on February 1. Pending a three-win streak in the playoffs, the Cardinals would make their first trip to the NFL’s biggest stage since 2008’s loss to the Steelers. They’ll have to get through a surging Cam Newton, however, who has lit up the secondary just two weeks after injuring his lower back in a car accident en route to practice.

Carolina’s defense will benefit from facing quarterback Ryan Lindley, who is not a starting-caliber quarterback. Lindley has filled in for Carson Palmer, who tore his ACL against the St. Louis Rams.  As a starter, Lindley has completed just 48 percent of his passes and has posted a dismal 56.8 passer rating.  Arizona is 1-2 with Lindley at the helm. Lindley showed improvement during his last start, throwing for 316 yards and two touchdowns at San Francisco. Lindley did throw three interceptions, so Carolina’s opportunistic secondary will look to make plays.

Arizona has won two straight games against Carolina, including a 22-6 decision in November 2013. Both Newton and Palmer threw three interceptions. A 1-yard touchdown run by running back Rashard Mendenhall and a 7-yard touchdown pass to tight end, Jim Dray, proved to be the difference. The winner of this game will move one step closer to representing the NFC in the Super Bowl.

We visited this issue after going 3-0 with Lance out with his groin strain and then we beat the Bucks (an underestimated/overlooked Bucks squad). Of course it resurfaced on the Internet.

Admittedly the Hornets seemed to have better chemistry and have a much more fluid offense in his absence BUT the opponents on the four game win streak weren’t the hardest teams you could face. These were games that any Hornets fan would say “we should win”. The thing that makes the wins over the 76ers, Jazz and Nuggets stand out is that they weren’t the nail bitters we have come accustomed to. They ranged from a 7 point win over the Bucks to a 28 point demolishment of the Nuggets.

Sooooooo rumors of Lance returning to the Pacers (talks went nowhere) and the murmurs of something with the Nets (mostly fueled by Nets fans and Lance posting Brooklyn pictures on Instagram) we look at the question…

What to do with Lance Stephenson?

BUZZ WEEKLY: RIGHTING THE SHIP

Written by David W. Walters

Photo credit (NBAE/Getty Images)

 

LAST WEEKS ACTION…

The Charlotte Hornets (8-19) overcame what has been a tough two-week stretch to take advantage of a favorable weekend slate against the Philadelphia 76ers and the Utah Jazz.

 

The Hornets had a rough start to the week, traveling to Cleveland and falling behind 21-0 in the opening period.  Charlotte battled back enough to make the game respectable, eventually falling to the Cavs, 88-97, behind big performances by LeBron James (27 points, 14 assists) and Kevin Love (22 points, 19 rebounds).

 

Two nights later, the Hornets returned to the Hive to face off against the Phoenix Suns, who were currently mired in a slump of their own.  Despite a great game from Al Jefferson (28 points, 10 rebounds), the Suns handed Charlotte their fourth loss in a row, 106-111.

Photo credit (NBAE/Getty Images)

 

Then, the Hornets faced two opponents that may have been just what the doctor ordered for a team struggling to find its identity.  The Sixers came to town and the Hornets jumped all over them, putting on what may have been their most complete performance of the season so far in a 109-91 victory in Philly.  Kemba Walker exploded for 30 points and Big Al put together another strong performance with 20 points and 12 rebounds.  Granted, the Sixers are playing some of the worst, most aimless basketball I’ve ever seen, but a win is a win, and it was nice to watch the Hornets string together four consistently productive quarters in a row for a change.

 

Next up was a scrappy Utah Jazz team that plays much better than their record would suggest.  Once again, the Hornets were able to put together another strong performance from start to finish in a 104-86 victory over the Jazz.  Walker had another strong performance, scoring 20 points to go with six assists and four steals, but more importantly, he committed zero turnovers as he was able to run the offense with a steady hand.  Jefferson chipped in 19 points and 10 rebounds, but left with a groin injury midway through the fourth quarter.  When asked about the injury after the game, Jefferson said “It feels good, if they needed me, I could’ve come back in there.”

WHAT TO MAKE OF THE PAST WEEK…

So what can we take out of last week’s action?  We’ll get the elephant in the room out of the way first.  There had been rumblings that the Hornets were shopping newly signed free agent Lance Stephenson because he hasn’t quite fit in on the team as expected.  Then word comes out that the Hornets are content with “keeping him for now” because they didn’t receive any viable offers from other teams (word has it that Indiana and Miami were two of the teams interested).

 

Then Stephenson aggravates a groin injury that had plagued him at the beginning of the season, and Coach Clifford tells us that Lance will be out until after Christmas.  And now the Hornets go 2-0 without him in the lineup with veteran guard Gerald Henderson starting in his place.  Now as I said earlier, its not like we just beat two incredibly strong teams over the weekend, but the Hornets, minus the ball-stopping and negative body language, put together two of their most solid performances of the year without him in the lineup.

 

So what does that mean?  Is this a better, more cohesive team without Stephenson in the lineup?  That could be the case, but its not like the mercurial guard has done anything to inflate his trade value this season.  He has rebounded well, at times has found the open man for an assist and he’s even banked in a game winner for Charlotte, but his attitude may not mesh well with a young team looking for an identity.  What the Hornets do with him moving forward is anyone’s guess; it will be interesting to see how the team fares this week as he continues to be sidelined.

 

Now lets talk about Henderson for a minute.  While Hendo is no world beater, he is a hard working co-captain of the team that has taken on whatever role his team has asked of him.  He plays within the teams defensive system and has averaged 14 points, two rebounds and four assists per game over the weekend.  While his consistency has been maddening at times over his career, he has grown as a player and provides a veteran presence for the Hornets when they’ve needed it.

 

If the Hornets do hang on to Stephenson, would he be better coming off the bench as a spark plug for the second unit since Hendo seems to fit in well with the starters?  Only time and Clifford’s rotations will tell.

Photo credit (NBAE/Getty Images)

 

The return of MKG to the lineup has certainly been a welcomed addition, and clearly the Hornets have missed his defensive intensity.  While he is still working his way back from a foot injury that sidelined him for 12 games, he has provided much needed energy for as team that was severely lacking in that department during his absence, and the team will certainly play much better with MKG available.

 

MOVING FORWARD…

The Hornets have four games coming up over Christmas week, with only one of them coming against a very formidable opponent, OKC.

 

On Monday, the Hornets face off against the Denver Nuggets at the Hive.  While the Nuggs haven’t been great this season, they still roll out a lineup that includes “Manimal” Kenneth Faired and guards Aaron Afflalo and Ty Lawson.  Denver is fourth in the NBA in rebounding and can still score at a respectable rate, but their defense is suspect, ranking in the bottom of the league in points allowed.

Photo credit (NBAE/Getty Images)

 

Next up, the Hornets will travel to Milwaukee for a rematch with the Bucks, who lost the season opener to Charlotte in overtime.  Milwaukee has played well as of late despite not being particularly good at anything besides moving the ball well.  They currently sit at .500 but also lost rookie phenom Jabari Parker for the year with a torn ACL.  This team plays well without the benefit of having any superstars, getting contributions from players such as Brandon Knight, Kris Middleton and Larry Sanders.

 

The Hornets then will face an Oklahoma City team that’s coming off a full slate of games during the Christmas week.  Charlotte has always had their hands full with OKC and this matchup will undoubtedly be no different.  Early season injuries had the Thunder stumbling out of the starting blocks but OKC has been on a roll since getting their stars Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant back in the lineup, although the latter has recently suffered a mild ankle sprain and whether or not he suits up against the Hornets remains to be seen, as they will be coming off a Christmas Day matchup against the Spurs.  The Thunder are a top five rebounding team and they currently sit atop the league in points allowed per game; this will no doubt make for a very tough matchup.

 

On Saturday, Tobias Harris and a young Orlando Magic squad comes to town to face off against the Hornets.  Orlando sits near the bottom of the league in nearly every offensive category but they do manage to play a middle of the pack style of defense.  The Hornets lost the first meeting between these two teams, 100-105, due to a huge game from Harris, but the team was without defensive stopper MKG, who will be available to help stymie Harris this time around.

 

Three of these matchups are very winnable games for the Hornets and, hopefully, they will be able to take this weekends wins and capitalize on their momentum to come out of the week looking better than when they went in.  Heck, who knows, maybe we even get a belated Christmas present with a win over OKC.

 

Hopefully all you Hornets fans have a great Christmas holiday, don’t ever forget the reason for the season and enjoy the company of those around you.  That’s all for now Hornets fans, until next time, HAPPY HOLIDAYS and KEEP BUZZING!

you can follow David W. Walters @Original_DWade.

 

The Charlotte Hornets appear to be a mess, there may be multiple factors but what do you believe is the main source of their problems?

HORNETS HOLD OFF CELTICS AT HOME

Written by David W. Walters

Photo credit (NBAE/Getty Images)

The Charlotte Hornets (6-15) were able to finish off the visiting Boston Celtics (7-13) for a 96-87 victory on Wednesday night at the Hive.  The win was the second in a row for the Hornets, who are coming off a four night layoff following their win last Friday night.

The first half wasn’t pretty, as both teams shot poorly in what amounted to a 40-45 halftime deficit for the Hornets.  Charlotte woke up in the second half though, going on an 11-4 run to open the third quarter, with a Gerald Henderson three putting the Hornets up for good about halfway through the period.

The Celtics made a strong run during the closing minutes, but big plays by Kemba Walker and some nice post moves by Al Jefferson held off the late charge for the victory.

The Celtics just didn’t have an answer for Big Al down low and Jefferson had a fantastic game, putting on a low post clinic to the tune of 23 points and 14 rebounds.  “This is two games in a row that we’ve been able to close it out,” said Jefferson following the game, “I was thinking too much in the first half. I just had to be myself and relax, and that’s what I did in the second half.”

Walker had a good all-around game with 18 points, five rebounds, seven assists and three steals and Lance Stephenson had another good showing with 13 points and a shimmy after getting fouled while making a basket in the second half.

The Hornets finally got Michael Kidd-Gilchrist back on the court after a 12 game absence as he was recovering from a foot injury.  The forward was aggressive in his return to action, finishing with nine points and six rebounds.

Marvin Williams had a strong showing off the bench with eight points and five boards as it becomes more evident that his impact as a reserve gives the Hornets a needed spark off the bench.

Rajon Rondo had a triple-double for Boston with 12 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists and Jeff Green and Marcus Thornton led the Celtics in scoring with 16 points a piece.

Photo credit (NBAE/Getty Images)

An intriguing matchup in the game came down to the Zeller brothers, Cody and Tyler, both of whom have recently been inserted into their teams respective starting lineups.  Cody finished the game with nine points and two rebounds while Tyler finished with 13 points and eight boards.

Hornets coach Steve Clifford didn’t let up during the Hornets four day layover and ran his players hard in practice during the break.

“I think you could tell when you walked into the locker room that guys are happy. I think they know that the way they played tonight was a byproduct of how they’ve practiced,” said Clifford after the game.

“You know, after 20 games, there’s a lot of groups that don’t want to practice three times. They just want to play the games. But our guys were good. They had good practices, and hopefully that’ll set a tone for this next stretch of games.”

Rookie P.J. Hairston didn’t dress out for the game after taking what Clifford said was “an unexcused absence” from Tuesday’s practice.

Next up, the Hornets hit the road to face Marc Gasol and a tough Memphis Grizzlies team on Friday night.

 

 

you can follow David W. Walters @Original_DWade.