~TheFuriousX~ » after starting the season 3-8-1. Its

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - The key to the Arizona Cardinals advancing in the NFC playoffs could come down to their ability to slow down Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton in the running game.Arizonas defence has struggled against mobile quarterbacks the past two weeks.Seattles Russell Wilson ran for 88 yards on six carries and San Franciscos Colin Kaepernick had 63 yards on seven rushes to spearhead wins over Arizona. The Cardinals allowed a combined 473 yards rushing in those two losses.Newton is well aware of the opportunity in front of him when the Panthers host the Cardinals on Saturday in an NFC wild-card game.Obviously its something that sticks out, Newton said. I know they will have some wrinkles in for me and hopefully I will be able to dissect them and take what they give me. (But) Im not going to go into this game thinking that Im going to have 200-plus yards in the running game myself, because thats not what its about. Its about being productive and executing the game plan.Carolinas running game has been in high gear in recent weeks, including a 194-yard performance in an NFC South-clinching 34-3 win over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. Newton accounted for 51 yards rushing and a touchdown.Newton has been an active participant in Carolinas running game in his last four starts, carrying 39 times for 246 yards and three touchdowns.Unfortunately were going against one of those similar offences that weve been having problems with the last few weeks, said Cardinals linebacker Larry Foote. But were comfortable, were used to it.Cardinals coach Bruce Arians called Newton an unbelievable athlete, but is expecting a better effort from his defence this week.Hopefully we have learned something, Arians said. The big thing is cover your guy when you are in blitz. We gave up an easy touchdown and an easy long run in that ball game on mental errors so those two things are easily correctable hopefully.Carolina (7-8-1) is only the second team in NFL history to reach the post-season in a non-strike-shortened season with a losing record. Nonetheless, the Panthers opened as a 4 1/2-point favourite at home in large because Arizonas quarterback situation. The number had climbed to six by Thursday.LINDLEY IN, STANTON OUT: Arians on Thursday declared quarterback Drew Stanton out against the Panthers, meaning Ryan Lindley will get the start. Lindley is 0-2 as Arizonas starter.Lindley, a sixth-round draft pick in 2012, completed 23 of 39 passes for 316 yards and two TDs in a 20-17 loss to San Francisco last week, but was also threw three interceptions. Arians said he has confidence in Lindley but hes still got to protect the ball better.Stanton was 4-2 as Arizonas starter before injuring his knee in Week 15 against St. Louis.TURNING UP THE HEAT: Carolina defensive co-ordinator Sean McDermott is turning up the heat. The Panthers have 17 sacks in the last five games, including six against the Falcons last Sunday. The Panthers are getting a better push from their front seven, led by defensive end Charles Johnson. Hes had a tremendous stretch of four games, Panthers coach Ron Rivera said.LOOSE PANTHERS: Carolinas locker room has been very loose this week with a quiet confidence emitting from the locker room. Rivera said that is because the Panthers are playing with house money after repeating as NFC South champions when it appeared they were out of the running after starting the season 3-8-1. Its not been the season of a prototypical playoff team, but who cares?, Newton said.FITZGERALDS TIME: Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald seems to step up when the playoffs arrive. In six post-season games, Fitzgerald has 42 receptions for 705 yards and nine touchdowns. That includes three 100-yard receiving games, including eight catches for 166 yards and a touchdown in Arizonas 33-13 upset win over Carolina in the 2008 divisional playoffs.KUECHLY FACTOR: Panthers middle linebacker Luke Kuechly leads the league in tackles for the second time in three seasons. Behind Kuechly, the Panthers have gone from 27th in league in overall defence in Week 7 to 10th to finish the season.___AP Sports Writer Bob Baum in Tempe, Arizona contributed to this report. Carolina Panthers Jerseys . Hes just beginning to get similar results. The right-hander struggled after winning the honour in 2008 and 2009, but a retooling of his game has begun to pay off and has the San Francisco Giants thinking about the Lincecum of old. Custom Carolina Panthers Jerseys . -- Novak Djokovic benefited from an erroneous call and claimed he didnt realize he had broken the rules. http://www.officialcarolinapantherspro.com/Dj-moore-panthers-jersey/ .A. Happ. The Toronto Blue Jays will be looking to improve the starting rotation ahead of next season and pitchers like Happ have a chance to show they belong as the disastrous 2013 campaign draws to a close. Christian McCaffrey Jersey . McCutchen hit his first home run in over a month, doubled twice and scored two runs to help the Pirates beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-3 on Sunday and take three of four from the defending NL West champions. Ryan Kalil Jersey . - Ronda Rousey realizes shes finishing up one of the biggest years for any fighter in the young history of mixed martial arts at UFC 168, and the UFCs bantamweight champion intends to go out on top.CINCINNATI, Ohio -- The bullpen was depleted. The Reds offence was thread-bare. Mike Leake took care of both problems. Leake pitched into the eighth inning and singled home a run -- a rare commodity for the Reds these days -- leading Cincinnati to a 3-0 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday night. "Fantastic job," third baseman Todd Frazier said. "We needed it." The Reds won for only the second time in 11 games since the All-Star break. The offence has been the biggest problem, scoring only 20 runs -- by far the fewest in the majors over that span. Leake (8-9) pitched in that way, too. His single off the glove of diving third baseman Martin Prado drove in a run in the second off Trevor Cahill (1-8), who has yet to win as a starter this season. Frazier and Brayan Pena also had RBI singles off Cahill, who fell to 0-6 in seven starts this season. A Reds lineup already missing first baseman Joey Votto and second baseman Brandon Phillips -- both on the disabled list -- also was without right fielder Jay Bruce, who went on bereavement leave for his grandfathers death. Both teams wasted chances during Arizonas 2-1, 15-inning victory in the series opener on Monday, which depleted the bullpens. Leake gave Cincinnatis relievers a chance to recover by giving up five hits in 7 2-3 innings. "He was just sharp," manager Bryan Price said. "He was on the attack. Theres a certain element to him -- a competitiveness, a fierceness to the kid -- that makes him better than his stuff, and hes got good stuff." With his sinker working well, Leake got 18 outs off grounders or strikeouts. "I try to keep the ball in the infield," Leake said. "I like using the infield more than the outfield." "That ball was moving more than normal," Arizona catcher Miguel Montero said. "His sinker was working." Aroldis Chapman pitched the ninth for his 23rd save in 25 chances. He extended his streak of at least one strikeout in 45 consecutive appearances, a major league record for a reliever. ON DECK Diamondbacks: Kirk Gibson needs one more win to tie Bob Melvin (337) for most by a Diamondbacks manager. ... Left-hander Wade&nbssp;Miley (6-7) starts the final game of the series before Arizona returns home to face Pittsburgh.dddddddddddd Miley is 3-1 with a 2.94 ERA in his last five starts. Reds: Right-hander Alfredo Simon (12-5) tries for his first win since being chosen for his first All-Star team. In two starts since then, hes 0-2 and has given up seven runs -- five earned -- in 9 1-3 innings. ... The Reds start a series in Miami on Thursday. TRAINERS ROOM Diamondbacks: Second baseman Aaron Hill was back in the starting lineup after being limited to one pinch-hitting appearance in the last two games because of a bruised right hand. ... Right-hander Bo Schultz was called up from Triple-A Reno to restock a bullpen depleted by two extra-inning games in the last three. Outfielder Alfredo Marte was optioned. Reds: Right-hander Logan Ondrusek resumed throwing. Hes been on the 15-day disabled list since July 22 with a sore pitching shoulder. ... Price said left-hander Manny Parra hasnt pitched since July 20 because hes had a stiff back. ... Reliever Curtis Partch was called up from Triple-A Louisville to take Bruces spot while hes on bereavement leave. HURTS TO WATCH Diamondbacks All-Star catcher Miguel Montero would rather try to hit Chapmans fastball than catch it. He watched Reds All-Star catcher Devin Mesoraco catch fastballs clocked at 104 mph and 103 mph during Arizonas 2-1, 15-inning win on Monday and decided he wanted no part of that. "You see the reaction from Mesoraco," Montero said. "Every time he catches the ball its like, Oh, pain!" STATS Arizona has lost six of its last eight against Cincinnati. ... Didi Gregorius has four triples, a career high. ... Arizonas bullpen hasnt allowed a run in the last 18 2-3 innings. ... The Reds three runs matched their highest total in 11 games since the All-Star break. ... Billy Hamilton of the Reds opened the first with a double that snapped his career-worst slump at 0 for 15. Zack Cozart had an infield single -- he was orginally out at first but the call was overturned on appeal -- that ended his 0-for-22 slump, which matched his career worst. ... Leake has 63 career hits, the most by a pitcher in the majors since 2010. 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