CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- A year ago, the Arizona Cardinals and Carolina Panthers met with a spot in the Super Bowl at stake.On Sunday, theyre simply trying to gain traction as theyve encountered unexpected struggles across the first half of the season.I feel good about us coming into this stretch, Panthers coach Ron Rivera said. We have a lot of really good guys in that locker room who have a lot of confidence. They work really hard. We have an opportunity now because we have some really good football players, but again we have to go and execute.The Panthers (1-5), who are coming off an open date on their schedule, havent won since the second week of the season. Arizona (3-3-1) is trying to regroup after Sunday nights bizarre 6-6 tie with the Seattle Seahawks.Its the ultimate team game for a reason, Cardinals coach Bruce Arians said. It takes all three phases to win a game.So now its a rematch of last seasons NFC championship game, though this matchup has a largely different vibe. Carolina won in a 49-15 romp last January in a game that Rivera acknowledged went well from the start and throughout for the Panthers.That hasnt been the case during the opening weeks of this season.Now is the time that weve got to respond, Panthers defensive tackle Kawann Short said.Rivera has insisted that its not too late for the Panthers to make something of the season. He pointed out that with two of the NFC South teams losing games last weekend that theres ample chance for the Panthers to factor into the divisional title.You just have to keep believing that you have an opportunity, Rivera said. It bodes well for us as we go into this stretch of the season.The Cardinals are in second place in the NFC West.Our football team is very, very resilient, Arians said. Its a long journey to the end.Arizona has the second-best defensive rating in the NFL by holding opponents to 289.6 yards per game. The Cardinals havent surrendered a touchdown in their last two games. Carolinas offense has cranked out 371.5 yards per game for the fourth-best mark in the league.Despite those numbers, the teams dont have records that correspond to those statistics.The Cardinals had 90 snaps against Seattle and it still wasnt enough.We didnt get the result we want and now we have to go play the Panthers, tight end Ifeanyi Momah said.Arizona quarterback Carson Palmer threw 49 passes without an interception against the Seahawks. In the playoff game last season against Carolina, he was picked off four times.The Cardinals lost receiver Jaron Brown to a torn anterior cruciate ligament in the Seattle game. On the plus side, its possible that receiver John Brown could be back after missing a game with a leg ailment.It will be interesting to see who plays against us and whats their attitude about how they want to attack, Rivera said.Panthers left tackle Michael Oher stayed in concussion protocol at the beginning of the week, so his status remains unclear although Rivera reported that significant progress has been made. Oher already has missed three games.Otherwise, the Panthers report a healthy roster, aided by the week off. Rivera said he liked the attitude since the team returned from the weekend away from football.The energy level was very high, he said. A lot of good things happen for us.For the coaching staff, Rivera said the week without a game was a chance to self-scout and determine what will best suit the team for the final 10 games of the regular season.We need to put them in situations to be successful, he said.After last weeks Arizona result, both coaches have a tie on their career records. The Panthers tied the Cincinnati Bengals in 2014, though the 37-37 outcome was vastly different from the game the Cardinals just experienced.This will be the 10th meeting in 10 seasons between the teams, who have met three times in the postseason during that span. The Panthers hold a 10-5 series edge overall.The game was originally set for a late-afternoon time slot, but it was changed under the NFLs flex scheduling to the early afternoon. Tzu-Wei Lin Jersey . Now tied for second in the league in shootout goals, the 24-year-old likes to see what the opposing goaltender has in store before he ultimately lands on a move. Marcus Walden Jersey .Y. - New Orleans forward Anthony Davis was chosen Friday to replace the injured Kobe Bryant in the NBA All-Star game that will be played in his home city. https://www.cheapredsox.com/2871z-pedro-martinez-jersey-red-sox.html . Brazilian national coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has confirmed that the veteran goalkeeper is set to join Toronto on loan, saying it will help him be ready for the World Cup. Tony Conigliaro Jersey . It was just business as usual for the Thunder at home. Durant scored 32 points and the Thunder beat the Bulls 107-95 on Thursday night for their eighth straight win. Denyi Reyes Red Sox Jersey .Y. - New York City has been selected to host the NBA All-Star weekend in 2015, with the game played at Madison Square Garden and the slam dunk contest and other skills events held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The AFL could force GWS to shift a home final against Sydney to ANZ Stadium to accommodate extra fans if the fixture eventuates.A playoffs match between the two would be expected to draw at least 60,000 spectators, well exceeding the 24,000 who can fit in the Giants normal home ground, Spotless Stadium.The AFL have therefore confirmed to News Corp Australia they would consider moving the match across the road to the former Olympic venue if it were available.ANZ Stadium has not hosted an AFL match in 2016 after the Swans opted to sever ties with the ground before the beginning of the season.The two Sydney sides are currently secoond and third on the ladder with four rounds to play, with the Giants therefore due to host the Swans if positions stay as they are.ddddddddddddThe NRL have priority at the ground, however only Canterbury appear to have any chance of hosting a game at the venue throughout the first three weeks of the finals series.A clash is therefore unlikely.The Giants would like the match to be played at Spotless Stadium where they have a 5-1 record this year but understand the AFLs interest in discussing a move. 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