Geburtstagseckerl » Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Ja

SEATTLE - Over the final month of the season, Carolina took advantage of its opportunities to make a surprising entry into the NFL playoffs.Against the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, the Panthers had few opportunities.The Seahawks scored 17 points in the fourth quarter and advanced to the NFC championship game with a 31-17 victory.The Panthers turned the ball over three times, setting up two Seattle touchdowns, while the Seahawks didnt commit a turnover.Well, certainly, we needed them to make some mistakes and that would help, Panthers head coach Ron Rivera said. But it didnt happen, again credit to them. They did some really good things, we made some mistakes. We missed some opportunities. They did some things that lead to winning championships.The Panthers (8-9-1), who finished the regular season with a losing record, essential had been in a playoff mode since early December. They beat New Orleans, Cleveland and Atlanta to win the NFC South title then knocked off Arizona last week in the first round of the playoffs.They played together, they came together and they deserved to be here, Rivera said. Again, I know a lot of people dont agree with me, but thats too bad. Thats the way it is.It took Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson throwing for three touchdowns — all on third downs — to make the difference.Thats big. Third down is the money down, Carolina middle linebacker Luke Kuechly said. They do a good job running. And when you run well, that opens it up for them. He (Wilson) knows whats going on. Hes an intelligent guy, a smart guy. He knows where he wants to go with the football, he makes quick decisions.That first touchdown fit Russell Wilson to a T right there.The Seahawks (13-4) never trailed and became the first defending Super Bowl champion to win a playoff game the following season since New England in January 2006.Since that Patriots victory, three defending champions have earned byes only to lose in the divisional round, the last being Green Bay in the 2011 playoffs.Seattle will host either Green Bay or Dallas next Sunday for a trip to the Super Bowl.Carolina quarterback Cam Newton threw a pair of touchdowns to Kelvin Benjamin, but Carolina couldnt overcome the turnovers. The biggest blow was Kam Chancellors 90-yard interception return midway through the fourth quarter that gave Seattle a 31-10 lead.I dont know if a strong safety can have a better game than Kam did tonight, Seattle coach Pete Carroll said.After knocking off Arizona in the wild-card round last week, Carolina was trying to be the first team to reach a conference championship game after having a losing record in the regular season.Much like the previous three regular-season games between the two teams, Carolina made it difficult on Seattle. The best running team in the NFL this season was held to 100 yards rushing by the Panthers defence.Marshawn Lynch was mostly a non-factor aside from a 25-yard run in the third quarter that helped set up Steven Hauschkas 37-yard field goal on the first play of the fourth quarter.But Wilson was outstanding, especially on third down. Wilson hit Doug Baldwin on third-and-9 on his TD catch in the first quarter.Jermaine Kearses 63-yard TD reception came on a third-and-7. And Luke Willsons 25-yard catch-and-run TD was on third-and-10.Wilson finished with a passer rating of 149.2, the second-highest for any game in his career. He passed for 199 yards on third downs.They just made big plays. It wasnt like they drove. It was just big plays that came back to bite us defensively, Carolina safety Roman Harper said. We will be better because of this. Everything is always something to learn from and we got to do that.Newton played well, but the turnovers overshadowed his performance. Newton finished 23 of 36 for 246 yards and added 37 yards rushing. Jonathan Stewart had been a key to the Panthers late-season surge, and rushed for 70 yards on 13 carries.Newton got away with testing All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman in the first quarter and watching Sherman dance away with his first career post-season interception.But Seattle took the lead after Carolinas second turnover of the first quarter. Michael Bennett disrupted the handoff between Newton and Stewart and Tony McDaniel fell on the loose ball at the Carolina 28. Wilson connected with Baldwin to take the lead and Carolina never pulled back even.NOTES: Seattle won its eighth straight home playoff game. ... Carolinas 132 yards rushing were fourth-most of any team vs. Seattle this season. ... Benjamin had two TDs in a game for the second time this season.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL Cheap Air Max Shoes Online . TSN 1290s game day coverage begins on Monday, June 9 at 5:30pm ct as the Blue Bombers take on the Toronto Argonauts in pre-season action. Bombers game day broadcasts on TSN 1290 are hosted by Winnipeg Blue Bomber Hall of Famers Troy Westwood and new addition Chris Walby, alongside beat reporter Darrin Bauming, who delivers regular reports on the team for TSN 1290 all-season long. Air Max Cheap Wholesale . Its the second time this season that Milan has been sanctioned by the league judge, after fans also subjected Napoli supporters to discriminatory chants. The ban will come into effect for Milans next match, against Udinese on Oct. http://www.airmaxcheapwholesale.com/ . -- Those impatient for the Stanley Cup to return to Canada will have just one team to root for in the NHL playoffs -- the Montreal Canadiens. Air Max Sale Cheap . The Miami Heat star tops the leagues global list of top-selling jerseys for the 2012-13 season, edging Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls, Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers, Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder and James Heat teammate Dwyane Wade for the No. Cheap Air Max Clearance . Sources tell TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger that the team is quietly gauging interest on the Senators captain, though Spezza has a limited no-trade clause and carries a large contract.EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The New York Giants have signed quarterback Rusty Smith, who played the last four seasons with the Tennessee Titans. A backup for the Titans, Smith played in only three regular-season games with one start. He has not gotten on the field since 2012. Smith has completed 23 of 45 passes for 234 yards, no touchdowns and four interceptions. He is the fifth quarterback onn New Yorks roster, joining starter Eli Manning, 2013 backups Curtis Painter and Ryan Nassib, and Josh Freeman, who was signed last week.dddddddddddd Manning had arthroscopic ankle surgery earlier this month and is sidelined for another few weeks. Painter underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee last Friday and recovery time is approximately four weeks. ' ' '