Panthers vs. 49ers final score: San Francisco clinches NFC Championship Game berth with 23-10 win
By Josh Hill
The Carolina Panthers turned their season around after things got off to a bad start and managed to snag the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs, but all the feel good aspects to the Panthers season died on Sunday afternoon when the defending NFC champions came into town and ended the dream.
Colin Kaepernick and the San Francisco 49res clinched a rematch with the Seattle Seahawks next week in a game that will be for all the NFC marbles and a trip to the Super Bowl. It’s the third consecutive season that the 49ers have been in the NFC Championship game and it will be the third meeting between the two teams this season.
Three seemed to be the number of the day as the 49ers also drew three personal foul penalties on Sunday afternoon against a Panthers defense that couldn’t keep its cool. Despite being one of the best defenses in the league this season, the Panthers couldn’t help themselves with the mistakes and the penalties added up and ate time off the clock.
Carolina’s season came to a grinding halt on Sunday but they aren’t going anywhere. They discovered themselves this season and they’re only going to get better. They actually discovered themselves the same way the Seattle Seahawks did last year, as Pete Carroll’s team lost in the NFC Divisional Round only to make it to the Championship game this year.
That Championship game will feature one of the best rivalries in professional sports, as neither the 49ers nor the Seahawks like each other much and the hatred for one another starts with the head coaches. san Francisco is 1-1 against the Seahawks this season but 0-2 in their last two trips to CenturyLink Field.
Jim Harbaugh’s club was overshadowed by their NFC West rivals this year, but are just a single game away from making it to their second consecutive Super Bowl.