For the Cardinals to beat the Panthers at home is a tall order. Luckily, Arizona has the tendency for shocking everybody this season.

The 2009 NFL playoffs continue in the NFC as the Arizona Cardinals will look to accomplish something that everybody failed to do all year, beat the Panthers in Carolina.

Yes, the Carolina Panthers, undefeated at home this season, will look to improve to 9-0 at the Bank of America Stadium by beating the Cardinals in Charlotte for the second time in this campaign.

The Carolina Panthers and the Arizona Cardinals square off Saturday night for the chance to advance to the NFC championship game and face the winner of the Eagles - Giants face-off.

Carolina tied for the best regular-season record in the NFC at 12-4, thanks in large part to its first undefeated record at home since 1996. The Panthers won all of their eight games at the Bank of America Stadium by an average of 15.4 points.

The Arizona Cardinals, meanwhile, went 0-5 in the East, losing to Washington, the New York Jets, Carolina, Philadelphia and New England by an average of 20.0 points. They are 2-20 in their last 22 games in the Eastern time zone. And since Charlotte, North Carolina IS from the Eastern time zone, the Cards’ definitely has a tough mountain to climb.

Unlike the Falcons, Carolina is expected to attack the edges of Arizona’s defense with the dynamic running duo of DeAngelo Williams and rookie Jonathan Stewart. And while the Cards’ played against the run last Saturday perfectly, it’s highly doubtful that they’d be able to do it for the second straight week, especially since they won’t have the confines of their own home field this time around.

Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme isn’t going to be as awestruck as Falcons rookie QB Matt Ryan was either, so don’t expect the Panthers to give the Cardinals defense three turnovers like the Falcons did.

Look for the Panthers to establish their running game early, while also getting playmaker Steve Smith involved from the wideout position on their first two offensive possessions. Carolina loves to run zero-screens to Smith to see if he can break one early, and he just might against a defense that will be more concerned with stopping the run.

Another factor working in the Panthers’ favor is that Cardinals wide receiver Anquan Boldin continues to be hampered by injuries.

If he can’t be effective, Carolina will load up to stop the run (which Atlanta failed to do) and blanket Larry Fitzgerald in coverage. The Falcons were unable to get pressure on Kurt Warner, but Carolina won’t make the same mistake. Arizona OT Mike Gandy won’t be as lucky as he was last week playing a hobbled John Abraham, because Julius Peppers is revving to go.

In case you didn’t get it yet, we’re picking the Panthers.

Can the Arizona Cardinals beat the Carolina Panthers in the NFC divisional playoffs? Bodog sportsbook has the odds.

Arizona Cardinals +10 (1.87)

Carolina Panthers -10 (1.95)

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Arizona Cardinals Carolina Panthers