It’s finally here. The No. 1 seed Carolina Panthers take on the No. 2 seed Arizona Cardinals in the NFC Championship game. This is the big match that every football fan has been waiting for. There’s no Cinderella story team this year, just elite powerhouses colliding.

Let’s break down each team’s chances and pick a winner.

Can these Cardinals do it? Can they knock off the juggernaut Panthers and advance to the Super Bowl for the second time in franchise history? Only time will tell. Bruce Arians’ squad will be playing away from home in this game, but don’t let that fool you. The Cardinals had the single best road record in the entire league this year at 7-1.

We all know what the big matchup is going to be watch: the Cardinals wide receivers against the Panthers secondary. Larry Fitzgerald, John Brown and Michael Floyd give Carson Palmer a perfect arsenal to throw to, but they are going to have their hands full against this Panthers defense. Cornerback Josh Norman has been the biggest breakout player of the year with his elite coverage.

The Cardinals have a terrific offensive line, and they are going to have to play outstanding if they want to defeat the 16-1 Panthers. Chris Johnson will not be playing again because of a leg injury, but David Johnson will in fact be out there for the birds. Establishing a run game is critical for the Cardinals because if you are too one-dimension against this defense, it’s not going to end well.

Let’s also not sleep on this Cardinals defense, which hasn’t received their proper credit all year long. The Cardinals ranked in the top 10 in yards allowed, points allowed, pass defense and run defense. It won’t be easy without safety Tyrann Mathieu, who is out with an injury.

They been in first place all season long, and all they want to do now is win the big one. But first, they have to eliminate the Cardinals. Like the Cardinals, the Panthers got here thanks to a bye in the first round of the NFL playoffs, and then notched a victory in the NFC Divisional round. Also like the Cardinals, the Panthers are 0-1 in the Super Bowl in their franchise history.

For the Panthers, there’s no reason to change up the game plan. If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it. The Panthers have been virtually perfect this season, and although the Cardinals are 7-1 on the road, the Panthers are 8-0 at home. Cam Newton could very well win the MVP award this season, and tight end Greg Olsen had another phenomenal year with a career high 1,104 receiving yards. Newton and Olsen have built a terrific chemistry.

The key X factor in this game is going to be Ted Ginn Jr. Ginn has exceptional downfield speed, but he doesn’t have the best hands in the league. Ginn has been criticized in the past many times for his drops, but again, he can make plays down field. Jonathan Stewart is expected to play despite the ankle injury.

The Cardinals and Panthers will play each other on Sunday at 6:40 p.m. ET at AT&T Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina.

This is a tough one. You could easily make the case for both teams. The Cardinals are the best road team whereas the Panthers are the best home team. It’s going to be a close game that will more than likely come down to the wire, maybe a game-winning field goal in the final seconds. Don’t be surprised if we even see overtime in this NFC thriller. In the end, the Panthers defense should prevail just as it has all season.

Panthers win, 23-20.

Here are 5 reasons the Cardinals will win.

Here are 5 reasons the Panthers will win.

Follow Damon Salvadore on Twitter @DamonSalvadore1

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